Advances in Genetic Engineering of Primary Grain Legume Crops: a Review Study

Abstract

In general, the seeds of many legumes are rich in both oil and protein; therefore, these grain legumes are commonly used as an important staple food worldwide. Transgenetic manipulation or production of transgenic crops has been needed for genetic enhancement as part of plant breeding programmes. This study is an attempt to evaluate the advancements in technology based on genetic transformation in major primary grain legume crops such as; chickpea, pigeon pea, garden pea, mung bean and lentil. Moreover, this study also involves to analyzing the screening of the competent explants as target tissues for gene delivery, mode of gene transformation, and further selection of transgenic tissues followed by regeneration of transgenic plantlets. Although most reports on introducing genes into grain legumes are based upon the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens during transformation experiments, however, there have been also parallel efforts involving the use of biolistics and electroporation methods to produce transgenic grain legume crops with essential improved traits.