Preliminary studies on Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Transformation ability of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) has been investigated using Agrobacterium-mediated gene delivery system. A regeneration protocol for four locally grown peanut strains, Dhaka-1, DM-1, DG-2 and Ace. No. 12 via organogenesis was developed before initiating transformation experiments. Maximum number of shoots were developed when leaflet explants from DM-1 were cultured on modified MS medium (macro-and micro-nutrients of MS with vitamins of B5) supplemented with 5.0 mg/l BAP. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain containing binary plasmid pBI 121 with GUS (beta-glucuronidase) and NPT II (resistant to kanamycin) genes was used for co-cultivation of leaflet segments and epicotyls of DM-1. A good number of GUS positive regions were visualized within the cocultivated explant tissue following GUS histochemical assay. Moreover; many transformed tissue increased their size and remained green within the selection medium containing kanamycin.