SCREENING OF TRANSGENIC ANTHURIUMS FOR BACTERIAL BLIGHT AND NEMATODE RESISTANCE

Authors: Fitch, Maureen; LEONG, T. - HARC; Albert, Henrik; SCHENCK, S. - HARC; Moore, Paul; MCCAFFERTY, H. - HARC; ZHU, J. - HARC; Gonsalves, Dennis

Submitted to: In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plants
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2007
Publication Date: 5/23/2007
Citation: In vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - plants vol.43. abstract P-2003. pg S41

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Anthuriums exhibit limited resistance to bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiae and to the nematodes Radopholus simile and Meloidogyne javanica. Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation of embryogenic calli with strains LBA4404, EHA105, and AGLO resulted in transgenic plants containing one of seven different gene constructs, Arabidopsis NPR1, attacin and cercropin from Hyalophora cercropin, T4 phage lysozyme, and attacin + T4 lysozyme for bacterial blight resistance, and cystatin and cystatin + cowpea trypsin inhibitor for nematode resistance. Approximately 600 'Marian Seefurth' and 42 'Midori' lines will be screened in bioassays for resistance to the pests under greenhouse conditions. While approval for permits are awaited, experiments are ongoing to use in vitro methods to screen rooted stem sections with aseptic cultures of Radopholus. Experiments showed decreased numbers of the nematode in transgenic cultures after 4 weeks compared to those on non-transformed controls. The experiments are being replicated. Bacterial resistance in vitro bioassays are being developed as well.