Establishment of multiple shoot clumps from maize (Zea mays L.) and regeneration of herbicide-resistant transgenic plantlets
Establishment of multiple shoot clumps from maize(Zea mays L.)and regeneration of herbicide-resistant transgenic plantlets

A kind of quick, efficient and season-free inducing embryoid and multiple shoot clumps system from shoot tip meristems that derived from elite inbreds of maize was established. The herbicide-resistant gene a/s (coding Acetolactate synthase) isolated from a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana was transferred to tissue pieces of maize multiple shoot clumps by microprojectile bombardment. Herbicide-resistant tissue and regenerants were obtained through selections with herbicide chlorsulfuron. PCR analysis and Southern blot hybridization indicated that gene a/s has been transferred to some regenerants. The test of spraying chlorsulfuron displayed that the transgenic plantlets and R1 plants had favorable herbicide-resistant trait. We have established a new genotype-free system of maize which could rapidly and efficiently produce large quantities of transgenic plantlets.