Transgenic sunflower genotypes: production, evaluation, and improvement strategies
Keywords:
Transgenic sunflower varieties, Agrobacterium strains, EHA105 and LBA440 strainsAbstract
Sunflower varieties have been developed through genetic manipulation, aiming to enhance various traits for improved agronomic performance and product quality. However, an industrial technology specifically for sunflower breeding programs to develop transgenic genotypes in a more feasible way has not yet been integrated into the sunflower research programs.
In this study we present our endeavor of obtaining transgenic sunflower genotypes, using Agrobacterium strains EHA105 and LBA440 in conjunction with two binary vectors, pROK2_35S-int-GUS and pTCO272_355-Int GUS. Bacterial strains were cultivated in liquid YEB medium supplemented with 2 mM MgCl2 or MgSO4 and antibiotics. Following bacterial propagation and centrifugation, the resulting cell pellet was resuspended in a solution containing 5% sucrose, 10µl/l BAP, and 0.01% Silwet L-77. Sunflower flower heads of varying sizes were immersed in this bacterial suspension for 2-4 minutes, followed by covering with aluminum foil to maintain humidity for 24 hours.
The results of the study highlighted the importance of selecting the right moment for immersing the bacterial suspension and the stage of capitulum development in sunflowers to maximize the rate of obtaining transgenic genotypes. Thus, identifying an optimal period for this process in sunflowers is crucial to achieving a higher rate of transgenic plants.
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