Optimization of Factors Influencing Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Transformation of Tomato

Abstract Tomato is a plant which has highly important nutrition, economic and scientific aspects. Due to its susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, breeding through genetic engineering of this plant is an effective method for enhancement of its tolerance to stresses. In this experiment, factors influencing the transformation of cultivated tomato, were studied. The high shoot regeneration was observed in Peto earlyCH and Early urbanaY cultivars, respectively and the most transformation rate was obtained in Early urbanaY cultivar. Preculture of explants for 1 day and addition of 100 - 150 µM acetosyringone into inoculation solution had a positive effect on transformation efficency. The optimum inoculation and cocultivation time for explants was 15 minutes and 2 days respectively. Putative transgenic plants were confirmrd using PCR and specific primers of both genes (nptII and codA genes). These plants were transferred to the soil for further molecular and bioassay experiments. Keywords: Agrobacterium, Cocultivation, Preculture, Regeneration, Transformation, Tomato