Transformation in Hyoscyamus

Abstract

Until recently, for the improvement of agricultural crops the traditional way of breeding and selection has been the only choice. However, with the development of new biotechnology methods (see Bajaj 1986), the alternative of directed genetic modification has become available. If used wisely, such manipulation techniques could become a powerful tool to solve agricultural problems. In vitro transformation is one of these techniques, and it has several advantages over traditional plant breeding. If genes for specific desirable properties of the plant can be isolated, they can be directly introduced into plant cells in one step, and whole plants possessing the new property can be regenerated, rather than having to go through the traditional tedious and time-consuming process of crossing and selection necessary so far (Cocking 1985). With the help of a suitable vector, desirable genes present in one species of plants — or even bacteria or animals — could be transferred to completely unrelated species with which natural exchange of genetic information cannot be achieved, making it possible to cross genetic borders imposed by nature (Wullems and Schilperoort 1985).