The behaviour of diverse Triticum genotypes in the tissue culture response of mature embryo callus was compared, and factors affecting tissue culture response were studied in this paper. Significant differences were detected in callus induction, embryogenic callus differentiation, plantlet regeneration and culture efficiency when mature embryos of 31 plants of different Triticum species were compared. These were the main wheat cultivars of the Chinese northern wintertype wheat region and breeding lines (Triticum aestivum L.), durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), cultivable emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum Schuble) and the common wheat progenitors Triticum dicoccoides and Triticum aegilopides. The genotype dependency was particularly high in tissue culture of mature embryos of these Triticum genotypes. The efficiency of induction, differentiation and regeneration of mature embryos callus was high in genotypes selected out. Mature embryo-derived callus of HB341, TS021, SN2618, T. dicoccum, HB188, and T9817 showed better tissue culture response than the other genotypes. Plantlets can be regenerated from mature embryoderived callus of 31 genotypes, saving on growth facility resources and time required for the collection of other explants, and providing a solid basis for the genetic transformation and molecular plant breeding of Triticum plants.

The cowpea trypsin inhibitor gene (CpTI) and neomycin phosphotransferase gene (nptII) were introduced into the embryonic callus cells of immature embryos of wheat elite line Shannong 995604 using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. Independent plantlets were regenerated from kanamycin-resistant calli. PCR and real time PCR analysis, PCR-Southern and Southern blot hybridization indicated that there were three independently-dervied transgenic plants viz. transformed-I, II and III (T-I, T-II and T-III). The segregation of CpTI in the transgenic wheat progenies of TIand T-III were consistent with Mendelian inheritance. Resistance to the storage insect pest of wheat viz. the grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier) was improved significantly in seeds of the three transgenic wheat T 2 lines obtained from T 1 PCR-positive plants. The frequency of moth-eaten seed from T-I, T-IIand T-III was reduced 66.76%, 62.48% and 43.59% respectively. The investigation of agronomic traits of the three transgenic wheat T 1 PCR-positive plants revealed that the three

Using mature embryos (MEs) as the explants, the callus induction, embryogenic callus differentiation, plantlet regeneration and culture efficiency in diploid and tetraploid wheat of four genotypes were studied. The tested four genotypes wheat included cultivable emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum Schuble), durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) and the common wheat progenitors Triticum dicoccoides and Triticum aegilopides. Results indicated that there were significant differences in the efficiency of callus induction, callus differentiation and plant regeneration among the tested genotypes. The efficiency of differentiation and regeneration shows strong genotype dependence. The rates of callus induction, embryogenic callus differentiation, plantlet regeneration and culture efficiency respectively were 95.00%, 90.00%, 32.40%, and 27.70% in cultivable emmer wheat, which were significantly higher than other tested genotypes. Therefore, this study has provided a basis for genetic transformation, gene cloning and molecular plant breeding in wheat and other related species.

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