Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated genetic transformation of moth bean [Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq) Marechal]

Abstract

Moth bean is an important grain legume of tropics, subtropics and warm temperate areas of different countries. It is rated as one of the most adapted arid legume in hot region due to its tolerance to drought and heat [1]. The transfer of foreign genes into the genome of moth bean has previously been achieved by cocultivation of protoplast with Agrobacterium [2]. Moreover, an alternative approach utilizing the particle bombardment technology is also available using protoplast [3] and mature embryos [4]. The two techniques are more difficult than the present report where transgenics were obtained from leaf expants using Agrobacterium. The stable transfer of transgene and its expression has also been shown by histochemical GUS assay