Using Modernized Relic Technology to Better Enable Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Developing Countries: A Philosophical and Practical Reorientation for Mali's Farmers

The invention provides methods for producing a fertile, stably transformed, Zea mays plant. The methods comprise the steps of (a) providing a foreign DNA comprising an expression vector carrying a gene encoding an agronomic trait; (b) providing a maize embryogenic callus, suspension culture, or immature embryo isolated from a plant; (c) introducing the foreign DNA into the embryogenic callus, suspension culture or immature embryo isolated from a plant by one or more microparticle bombardments; and (d) regenerating fertile transgenic Zea mays plant.