Callus Induction and Plant Regeneration from Immature Embryos of Sweet Sorghum ( Moench).

Background And Objective: Regeneration of plant through tissue culture technique is a critical process in transformation of plants. This study sought to establish the effect of genotype and auxin concentration on callus induction from different sweet sorghum genotypes (IESV92008DL, IESV92001DL, IESV92021DL, ICSV700 and ICSV93048).

Materials And Methods: In this study, MS medium supplemented with five levels of the hormone 2,4-D (0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 mg L) to assess the effect of the hormone 2,4-D on callus induction and regeneration was used.

Downregulation of transcription factor aflR in Aspergillus flavus confers reduction to aflatoxin accumulation in transgenic maize with alteration of host plant architecture.

We report success of host-induced gene silencing in downregulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus infecting maize transformed with a hairpin construct targeting transcription factor aflR. Infestation of crops by aflatoxin-producing fungi results in economic losses as well as negative human and animal health effects. Currently, the control strategies against aflatoxin accumulation are not effective to the small holder farming systems in Africa and this has led to widespread aflatoxin exposure especially in rural populations of sub-Saharan Africa that rely on maize as a staple food crop.