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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #122386
Title: LEAF DISC CALLUS FROM SUGARBEET BREEDING LINES FOR BIOLISTIC TRANSFORMATION

Author
item IVIC, SNEZANA - 1275-25-00
item Saunders, Joseph
item Smigocki, Anna

Submitted to: American Society of Sugarbeet Technologists
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant breeders have had limited success improving the sugar content in sugarbeet due to an inverse relationship between sugar yield and the size of the sugar-accumulating taproot. Therefore, further improvement of sugar yields will require introduction of new genes into sugarbeet using novel concepts such as genetic engineering. Genetic improvement of sugarbeet using biotechnology has progressed slowly since currently available method are not readily reproducible. A method for introducing beneficial genes to sugarbeet was developed in this laboratory but needs improvement since it is long, labor intensive and of low efficiency. To improve the method, we explored alternative means of generating plant material from commercial sugarbeet varieties that would be more amenable to transformation. One variety showed high potential because 1) greenhouse plants could be used for generating plant tissues for transformation, 2) minimal contamination rates were observed and 3) relatively large quantities of tissues suitable for transformation were produced in a short period of time. These findings will be useful to scientists using genetic engineering approaches for improving sugar yields in commercially important sugarbeet.

Technical Abstract: A particle bombardment method for introducing foreign genes into sugarbeet was developed in this lab (Snyder et al. 1999). This method is based on the use of hypocotyls as a source of embryogenic callus for the transformation step. This is a lengthy protocol that requires a 3-week seed germination period followed by a hypocotyl cultivation period of 6 to 8 weeks. Seed germination is often hampered by persistent fungal contamination and the hypocotyl isolation is time consuming. Transformation frequencies obtained with embryogenic hypocotyl callus from a noncommercial line, REL-1, were low. We explored alternative sources of embryogenic sugarbeet callus for using with the particle bombardment method for sugarbeet transformation.