Transformation of isolated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) microspores: II. Timing of pretreatment and temperatures relative to results of bombardment.

Based on paper I in this series, our goals in this paper were to determine the relationship between prebombardment pretreatments and temperatures, microspore cell cycle when bombarded, and the frequencies of homozygous and hemizygous transgenic progeny in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Of the 104 fluorescent plants selected when using the GFP fluorescence transgene, 28 were albino and 76 plants were green.

Transformation of isolated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) microspores: I. the influence of pretreatments and osmotic treatment on the time of DNA synthesis.

The objective of this study was to determine when DNA synthesis occurred during pretreatments of cultured barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) microspores and during their preparation for particle bombardment. Based on this information, an investigation of the influence of cell cycle stage on the ability to obtain homozygous transgenic plants by particle bombardment will be presented in paper II of this series.

The resurgence of haploids in higher plants.

The life cycle of plants proceeds via alternating generations of sporophytes and gametophytes. The dominant and most obvious life form of higher plants is the free-living sporophyte. The sporophyte is the product of fertilization of male and female gametes and contains a set of chromosomes from each parent; its genomic constitution is 2n.

Arabinogalactans and arabinogalactan-proteins induce embryogenesis in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) microspore culture.

The objective of this study was to improve induction of embryogenesis in wheat microspore culture in order to obtain a high number of regenerable embryos. The arabinogalactan (AG) Larcoll and the arabinogalactan-protein (AGP) from gum arabic were tested on two spring genotypes to see if they could increase microspore viability and induce embryogenesis in the microspore culture. Adding Larcoll significantly decreased microspore mortality in both genotypes regardless of the presence or absence of ovaries in the culture.

Molecular mapping of QTLs for resistance to Gibberella ear rot, in corn, caused by Fusarium graminearum.

Gibberella ear rot, caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, is a serious disease of corn (Zea mays) grown in northern climates. Infected corn is lower yielding and contains toxins that are dangerous to livestock and humans. Resistance to ear rot in corn is quantitative, specific to the mode of fungal entry (silk channels or kernel wounds), and highly influenced by the environment.