Study of gene transformability on commercial oilseed rape varieties in Iran

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of oil crops being cultivated in many areas of Iran. Its molecular breeding and production of varieties with new characteristics using genetic engineering needs the establishment of efficient transformation methods in commercial varieties. In this research transformation potential of 8 commercial cultivars; Licord، SLM046، RGS003، Zarfam، Okapi، Sarigol، Modena and Opera adapted to different regions of Iran was studied using cotyledon and hypocotyl explants. Agrobacterium tumifaciens، strain AGL0 containing the plasmid pCAMBIA3301 was used for transformation. Cotyledon and hypocotyl explants after inoculation with Agrobacterium were co-cultivated on MS medium containing 1 mg/l 2،4-D and 4. 5 mg/l BAP، respectively. Cotyledonary explants after co-cultivation were transferred on selection MS medium، containing 4. 5 mg/l BAP and 3 mg/l phosphinothricin. Hypocotyl explants were transferred on selection MS medium containing 4 mg/l BAP، 2 mg/l Zeatin and 5 mg/l phosphinotricin. The regenerated plants were analyzed by PCR and histochemical GUS assay for gene transformation. The results showed that most of genotyes had gene transformation potential regenerated from hypocotyl segments، while this potential was limited to some cultivars using cotyledon explants. Among transgenic plants، using hypocotyls، Licord cultivar. had the most transformation rate (15. 26 %) and Sarigol the least (0. 2 %). Also among regenerated planťs from cotyledon، SLM046 cultivar had the most transformation frequency (4. 7 %) and Modena، Opera and Zarfam cultivars did not respond to transformation.