Bayer G. Introduction of finger millet into in vitro culture and obtaining its dinitroaniline-resistant lines

The current thesis is dedicated to the study of issues related to finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.) genetic transformation with mutant ?-tubulin gene conferring dinitroaniline-resistance. The influence of different nutrient media on finger millet callus induction and regeneration are presented here. Among the tested genetically stable lines, the most attractive is somaclonal variant SE-7 characterized by such important economically valuable traits as the high seed and green biomass productivity, and also rapid seed germination under low temperatures. The protoplasts and microprotoplasts isolation method from the of finger millet hypocotyls segments was developed for the first time. Constructs with mutant ?-tubulin gene (Tuam1) conferring dinitroaniline herbicides resistance were created. Moreover, it was shown that finger millet transgene lines transformed with Tuam1-bearing constructs can be efficiently selected on trifluralin, what gives an opportunity to use this ? -tubuline mutant gene as a selective marker for plant genetic transformation. Optimal parameters for biolistic and Agrobacterium- mediated transformation of finger millet callus were chosen. As a result of both transformation approaches we obtained dinitroaniline-resistant finger millet transgenic lines and the inheritance of this trait was proved by the genetic analysis.