Plant Regeneration from Immature Inflorescence Culture and Genetic Transformation of Wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum × A. desertorum cv. Hycrest-Mengnong)

Abstract The plants of hybrid wheatgrass ( A. cristatum × A. desertorum cv. Hycrest-Mengnong) were directly induced from embryogenic callus regenerated from immature inflorescence. Immature inflorescence was cultured on improved MS medium containing 2.0-3.0 mg L −1 2,4-D to regenerate callus. The calli were then transferred to hormone-free MS medium for differentiation and 1/2 MS medium for rooting. Results showed that callus initiation frequency was 83.4% and plant regeneration frequency was 59.6%. Phosphinothricin acetyltransferase ( bar ) gene was transformed into the hybrid wheatgrass by particle bombardment. Resistant callus was obtained using selecting agent, herbicide glufosinate of 0.5 mg L −1 , and some transgenic plants were recovered in vitro. The transgenic plants were identified by PCR and Southern blot analysis and these plants developed normally in the glufosinate medium, whereas the nontransgenic plants did not. The results demonstrated that bar cDNA integrated into the genomic DNA of the transgenic plants. The transgenic frequencies of bar gene were 1.1%.