ARS | Publication request: TRANSFORMATION OF BARLEY WITH ANTIFUNGAL AND ANTITOXIN GENES

Submitted to: Congress on In Vitro Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 20, 2003
Publication Date: June 5, 2003
Citation: Tobias, D.J., Jha, A.K., Dahleen, L.S. 2003. Transformation of barley with antifungal and antitoxin genes. Congress on In Vitro Biology. P. 36A.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum, is a major disease of devastating economic impact. The fungus also produces the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) in infected grains which poses safety concerns for human and livestock. Breeding efforts are underway to develop FHB resistant barley but even the most resistant genotypes showed unacceptable levels of DON when FHB is prevalent. Insertion of a combination of antifungal and antitoxin genes may lead to enhanced resistance against FHB. In this study, genes encoding for a thaumatin-like protein from rice (tlp) and for a 3-OH trichothecene acetyltransferase from F. sporotrichioides (Tri101) were both introduced to cv. Conlon by bombardment-mediated transformation. PCR analysis confirmed that 39 regenerated plants contained both genes. Progeny analysis of T1 lines from the regenerants will be presented. Selected transgenic lines will be advanced to identify homozygotes and tested for FHB and DON in the greenhouse and in the field.