DNA transfer by highly asymmetric somatic hybridisation in Medicago truncatula (+) Medicago rugosa and Medicago truncatula (+) Medicago scutellata

A regenerable line of Medicago truncatula (Jemalong 2HA) as a recipient species, was fused with the sexually incompatible species Medicago scutellata or Medicago rugosa. The treatments described maintain the chromosome number of the recipient but enable the transfer of small amounts of DNA of the donor species, probably by intergenomic recombination. Without a chromosome number-change fusion products can readily regenerate to produce fertile plants; and potentially a library with a diverse array of new genetic material. The selection of fused cells is based on treatment of the recipient cells with iodoacetamide (IOA), a non-regenerable donor, gamma-iffadiation of the donor, and regeneration on a medium favouring the recipient. DNA transfer was demonstrated by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), Southern hybridisation and changed morphology.