A biotechnological approach to improving the nutritive value of alfalfa.

The postruminal supply of the sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine, has been reported to be a major limitation to wool growth in sheep. We aim to improve the protein quality of forage for ruminants by introducing into alfalfa chimeric genes encoding a ruminally stable, sulfur amino acid-rich protein from sunflower seeds. Four gene constructs were transferred to Australian commercial cultivars of alfalfa using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and selection with phosphinothricin (PPT).

Transformation and Regeneration of Two Cultivars of Pea (Pisum sativum L.).

A reproducible transformation system was developed for pea (Pisum sativum L.) using as explants sections from the embryonic axis of immature seeds. A construct containing two chimeric genes, nopaline synthase-phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (bar) and cauliflower mosaic virus 35S-neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII), was introduced into two pea cultivars using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation procedures.

Plant regeneration from stem and petal of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.).

Plants were regenerated via adventitious shoot initiation from petal explants of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) cultivars Crowley Sim, Ember Rose, Orchid Beauty, Red Sim, White Sim and from stem segments of Crowley Sim, Red Sim, White Sim. Differences in cultivar response were observed, with White Sim being the most responsive for both explant types.