Transformation of Cultivated Alfalfa Using Disarmed <i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i>¹

Abstract

This study was conducted to establish a transformation system for cultivated alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), a highly valued forage legume. Genetic transformation of alfalfa ‘CUF101’ was carried out using Agrobacterium tumefaciens . A dominant selectable marker ( Nos/ Npt ) for kanamyycin resistance was introduced into alfalfa tissues via a disarmed vector (pARC8) residing in the bacterium. The Nos/ Npt gene was stably integrated into the plant genome and expressed in selected, kanamycin‐resistant calli and in regenerated plants. Transgenic alfalfa plants were also obtained using two different vectors derived from pARC8.