Genetic Transformation in Brassica juncea L. using Wild Types and Shooter Mutants of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and the Regeneration Response

Different wild types of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and their shooter mutants were used for infection of in vitro grown Brassica juncea and the resultant tumour / tumour infection sites were cultured on Murashige and Skoog s basal medium supplemented with cefotaxime. The tumours induced by wild nopaline type of A. tumefaciens � C 58 and T 37 and their shooter mutant 3851 produced tumours which spontaneously differentiated shoots on Murashige and Skoog s medium. However, the octopine type B 653 and their shooter mutant pGV 2219, pGV 2215, pGV 2239, pGV 2235 and pGV 2298 either produced a very small tumour or did not produce any tumour. The tumour or infection site of octopine type of A. tumefaciens when cultured on Murashige and Skoog s basal medium although produced calli, did not show any regeneration of shoots. The tumours and regenerated plants of nopaline wild type (C58 and T37) and shooter mutant pGV 3851 showed the presence of nopaline dehydrogenase. The tumours or infection site of octopine wild type (B 653) and their shooter mutants pGV 2219 and pGV 2215 showed the presence of octopine dehydrogenase, while pGV 2235, 2239 and 2298 did not show any octopine dehydrogenase. The regenerated shoots from tumours of nopaline type and corresponding shooter mutant did not root, but could be grafted on to normal plants and grown to maturity.