Transgenic grain legumes obtained by in planta electroporation-mediated gene transfer.

Electroporation-mediated gene transfer into intact plant tissues was demonstrated in pea, cowpea, lentil, and soybean plants. Transient expression of a chimeric gus reporter gene was used to monitor the uptake and expression of the introduced DNA in electroporated nodal axillary buds in vivo. The branches that grew out of the nodal meristems were chimeric and expressed the introduced gene up to 20 d after electroporation. Transgenic R1 pea, lentil, and cowpea plants were recovered from seeds originating on these chimeric branches as shown by Southern blot hybridization and GUS expression. Transgenic R2 soybean and lentil plants were also obtained. Segregation ratios in these populations showed a strong bias against transgene presence or expression.