柑橘試管珠心胚培養之應用

Abstract

Nucellar embryogenesis in vitro is being exploited for citriculture applications: elimination of viruses, viroids and spiroplasma; rapid clonal propagation of rootstocks; induction of desirable somatic cell mutants; and genetic transformation with agronomically useful genes. Nucellar plants of two cultivars of C. gandis, Ma Dou wen Dan and Ma Dou Bai You, have been transferred to the Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station at Hsin Hue Branch station for pathogen tests and cultivars performance evaluations. At least ten species and cultivars have been propagated by nucellus culture and the plants released to the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute at Taichung, Chiayi and Guangshi for discovery of possible desirable somaclonal varients. Through collaborations, we have also generated Ponkan and Tankan plants from nuceNi that had been co-cultured with Agobacterium tumefaciens carrying Ti plasmids containing Bacillus thuringiensIs genes for proteins toxic to coleopteran pests and lepidopteran pests. The plants are being multiplied for detailed biochemical analyses and insecticidal evaluations. Three plants have already tested positively by western analysis for the coleopteran insecticide.