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Title: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of two Serbian potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Dragacevka and cv. Jelica)

Author
item CINGEL, A - University Of Belgrade
item VINTERHALTER, B - University Of Belgrade
item VINTERHALTER, D - University Of Belgrade
item Smigocki, Anna
item NINKOVIC, S - University Of Belgrade

Submitted to: African Journal of Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2009
Publication Date: 7/26/2010
Citation: Cingel, A., Vinterhalter, B., Vinterhalter, D., Smigocki, A.C., Ninkovic, S. 2010. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of two Serbian potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Dragacevka and cv. Jelica). African Journal of Biotechnology. 9(30):4644-4650.

Interpretive Summary: Two Serbian potato cultivars, Jelica and Dragacevka, have excellent growth, yield, cooking and nutritional quality, however, they are highly susceptible to attack by insect pests. To improve insect resistance in Jelica and Dragacevka cultivars, gene transfer methods were developed in order to introduct beneficial insect resistance genes into these two varieties of potato. Potato transformation methods are highly cultivar-dependent thus necessitating the development of protocols for each specific potato variety. We developed a gene transfer protocol for the two Serbian potato cultivars that is simple, efficient and produces high percentage of genetically enhanced plants that now can be evaluated for their resistance to insects. This information will be used by scientists working on genetic improvement of potato for development of potato varieties with enhanced traits.

Technical Abstract: An efficient protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Serbian potato cultivars Dragacevka and Jelica, enabling the introduction of oryzacystatin genes OCI and OCII, was established. Starting with leaf explants a two-stage transformation protocol combining procedures of Webb and Wenzler provided high shoot regeneration efficiency: 84-89% for Dragacevka cultivar and 60-68% for Jelica cultivar as compared to 76-86% for Desiree, the most frequently used cultivar in transformation experiments. PCR analysis of a small sample of putative transformants showed the nptII integration frequency of 90.9%, 76.9% and 86.4% for Dragacevka, Jelica and Desiree respectively. Regeneration and transformation efficiency was strongly genotype-dependent.