Bioassay for detection of glufosinate tolerant plants of Nicotiana tabacum

Background and Aim: Nicotiana tabacum plants were transformed by a bar gene as a selectable marker using Agrobacterium- mediated transformation. Transgenic plants of N. tabacum were regenerated by leaf disc transformation. The ability to detect the transgenic trait is an important stage for the use of transformed cultivars in a backcross program of plant breeding. The plant test with glufosinate is effective and low cost, however, wonders whether this is a non-destructive method to check cultivars. The objective of this study was to apply a bioassay for detection of herbicide-tolerant plants and to evaluate the vegetative and productive development of the plants.Methods: Establishment of a transformation procedure of N. tabacum with the bar gene as a selectable marker was done in this study. Transgenic plants of N. tabacum were regenerated by leaf disc transformation.Results: It was observed that both glufosinate-tolerant and glufosinate-sensitive plants were affected in the initial stages of development in accordance with the herbicide application rate.Conclusion: However, whereas tolerant plants fully recover both in vegetative growth and production during the cycle, sensitive plants did not recover as a consequence of the herbicide application rate.

Keywords:

Nicotiana tabacum , Transformation , bar gene , glufosinate