Genetic transformation allows the release of improved cultivars with desirable characteristics in a shorter period of time and therefore may be useful in citrus breeding programs. The objective of this research was to establish a protocol for genetic transformation of Valencia and Natal sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) and Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia L. Osbeck). Epicotyl segments of germinated in vitro plantlets (three weeks in darkness and two weeks in a 16-h photoperiod) were used as explants. These were cocultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA-105 and different experiments were done to evaluate the transformation efficiency: explants were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for one, three or five days; explants were incubated with Agrobacterium suspension for 5, 10, 20 or 40 minutes; co-cultivation medium was supplemented with acetosyringone at 0, 100 or 200 µmol L -1; Explants ends had a longitudinal terminal incision (2-3 mm); co-cultivation temperatures of 19, 23 or 27°C were imposed. The experimental design was completely randomized in all experiments with five replications, each consisted of a Petri dish (100 x 15 mm) with 30 explants and resulted in a total of 150 explants per treatment. Longitudinal terminal incision in the explant ends did not improve shoot regeneration. However, transgenic plants of all three cultivars were confirmed from explants that had been subjected to inoculation time of 20 minutes, co-culture of three days at 23-27°C, in the absence of acetosyringone. Key words: genetic transformation, organogenesis, micrografting, improvement
TRANSFORMAÇÃO GENÉTICA EM Citrus sinensis E Citrus limonia
MEDIADA POR Agrobacterium tumefaciens A PARTIR DE SEGMENTOS DE EPICÓTILORESUMO: A transformação genética permite produzir cultivares com características específicas e pode, dessa forma ser associada a programas de melhoramento de citros. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer protocolos de transformação genética para as laranjas doce 'Valência' e 'Natal' (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), bem como para o limão 'Cravo'(Citrus limonia L. Osbeck). Segmentos de epicótilo de plântulas germinadas in vitro (três semanas no escuro e duas semanas sob fotoperíodo de 16h) foram utilizados como explantes. Estes foram co-cultivados com Agrobacterium tumefaciens (EHA-105), realizando-se vários experimentos para avaliar a eficiência do processo de transformação genética: explantes co-cultivados por um, três e cinco dias; tempo de inoculação com a bactéria de 5, 10, 20 e 40 minutos; co-cultivo em meio de cultura contendo 0, 100 e 200 µmol L -1 de acetoseringona; Incisão longitudinal (2-3 mm) nas extremidades do explante; temperatura de co-cultivo 19, 23 e 27°C. Todos os experimentos consistiram de cinco repetições por tratamento, sendo cada repetição representada por uma placa de Petri contendo 30 explantes, perfazendo um total de 150 explantes por tratamento. Plântulas transgênicas dos três cultivares foram obtidas utilizando-se tempo de inoculação de 20 minutos, co-cultivo com Agrob...