Genetic Transformation of two Turkish rice (Oryza sativa L.) cutivars through Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Abstract

Background Seed weevils are one of the causes of post harvest rice yield losses in Turkey. There are many cultural and chemical methods to control these insects.PurposeThis study aimed to control these using Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated genetic transformation in two rice cultivars namely Hamzadere and Osmancı-97.Methods and results Two days old germinated seeds of the two cultivars with 2-3 mm long shoots were used as explants. They were treated with Agrobacterium tumefciens containing a pTF101AoPR1AcBar plant expression vector containing the cry1Ac gene under the control of the wound-induced (AoPR1) promoter. The transformation event was genotype-dependent. Out of 3000 and 2600 explants of cv Hamzadere and cv Osmancık-97, only 92 (3.07%) and 32 (1.230%) plants were selected on MS medium containing 3.0 and 2.5 mg/l bialaphos. These were validated using PCR, bioassay, and ELISA tests. All plants were held in the greenhouse until T0 and T1 seed settings. three (0.10%) plants of cv Hamzadere and 5 (0.19%) plants of cv. Osmancık 97 could be validated through all tests in T₀ and T₁ generations in both cultivars of rice for the first time using a novel and a very simple transformation procedure.ConclusionThese results are very encouraging and will influence future rice transformation techniques and improve rice breeding technologies.