Plant Biotechnology
EJB Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol.4 No. 2, Issue of August 15, 2001
© 2001 by Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received January 15, 2001 / Accepted June 7, 2001
REVIEW ARTICLE

Wheat biotechnology: A minireview

Debasis Patnaik
Centre for Plant Molecular Biology
University of Delhi South Campus
New Delhi-110 021, India
Tel: 91-11-4675096
Fax: 91-11-6885270
E-mail: debasispatnaik@hotmail.com

Paramjit Khurana*
Centre for Plant Molecular Biology
University of Delhi South Campus
New Delhi-110 021, India
Tel: 91-11-4675096
Fax: 91-11-6885270
E-mail: paramjitkhurana@hotmail.com

* Corresponding author

Financial support: Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

Keywords: biotechnology, transgenic wheat, wheat improvement, wheat transformation.

Abstract Full Text

Due to the inherent difficulties associated with gene delivery into regenerable explants and recovery of plantlets with the introduced transgene, wheat was the last among cereals to be genetically transformed. This review attempts to summarize different efforts in the direction of achieving genetic transformation of wheat by various methods. Particle bombardment is the most widely employed procedure for the introduction of marker genes and also for the generation of transformed wheat with introduction of agronomically important genes for quality improvement, engineering of nuclear male sterility, transposon tagging, resistance to drought stress, resistance against fungal pathogens and insect resistance. The other methods of choice of gene delivery into wheat tissues include electroporation and co-cultivation with Agrobacterium. Several alternative approaches including microinjection, direct imbibition, permeabilization, silicon carbide fiber-mediated and pollen tube pathway have also been attempted for introduction of foreign DNA with varied degrees of success. In future, use of marker assisted selection and genomics approaches will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of wheat breeding programs, and will also provide insights into genetic control of key traits to be used for genetic manipulation.

Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network
Home | Mail to Editor | Search | Archive