Assessing the susceptibility of cruciferous Lepidoptera to Cry1Ba2 and Cry1Ca4 for future transgenic cruciferous vegetables.

Advances in transgenic plants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal gene(s) offer a promising alternative to traditional insecticides for control of lepidopteran pests on important cruciferous vegetable crops such as cabbage and cauliflower. A public-private partnership, the Collaboration on Insect Management for Brassicas in Asia and Africa (CIMBAA), was formed in 2005 with the goal of developing dual-gene Bt cauliflower and cabbage, initially for India, to replace the use of broad spectrum, traditional insecticides. As a first step in this effort, the major lepidopteran pests of cruciferous vegetable crops [Plutella xylostella (L.

Plastid transformants of tomato selected using mutations affecting ribosome structure.

Tomato plastid transformants were obtained using two vectors containing cloned plastid DNA of either Nicotiana tabacum or Solanum nigrum and including point mutations conferring resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin. Transformants were recovered after PEG-mediated direct DNA uptake into protoplasts, followed by selection on spectinomycin-containing medium. Sixteen lines contained the point mutation, as confirmed by mapping restriction enzyme sites.

Production of potato monohaploids (2n=x=12) through prickle pollination.

Data are presented on the potential of gynogenesis for the production of monohaploids and on factors affecting their frequency and relative vigour. Diploid Solanum tuberosum L. and S.

Relative performance of monohaploid potato clones and their diploid parents at plant level and after protoplast isolation and subsequent fusion.

Plant growth performance was studied in 118 potato monohaploids and in their diploid parents. Of these monohaploids 76 were also investigated at the protoplast level and eight of these were used in protoplast fusion experiments as well. No correlation was found between relative performance of greenhouse grown and in vitro grown plants.