ARS | Publication request: TRANSFORMATION OF OAT WITH AN ANTIFUNGAL PROTEIN GENE FOR ENHANCED CROWN RUST RESISTANCE

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 26, 1997
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Crown rust is a widespread and damaging disease of oat causing significant yield reduction. Improved resistance to crown rust in oats by traditional breeding has been race-specific and usually breaks down in time. Incorporations of gene encoding antifungal compounds, such as members of the thaumatin-like, PR-5 proteins, known as 'permatins', may produce durable crown rust resistance. Our objective is to transform oat with a permatin gene isolated from oat endosperm and to evaluate the transformants for resistance to crown rust. Oat embryogenic cultures initiated from varieties GPI, Dane and Belle were co-transformed with the permatin gene and a selectable marker gene, NPTII (Neomycin phosphotransferase) or BAR (Phosphinothrycin acetyl transferase) using microprojectile bombardment. The transformed calli will be regenerated after selection and analyzed for the presence and expression of the transgenes. Evaluation of resistance to ocrown rust will be conducted by inoculating the transgenic plants with rus spores.