GENETIC TRANSFORMATION OF EGYPTIAN WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) WITH CHITINASE GENE VIA MICROPROJECTILE BOMBARDMENT

Plant diseases are caused by a variety of plant pathogens including fungi, and their management requires the use of techniques like transgenic technology and genetics. The chitinase gene, known to have a vital role in fungal disease defense, was introduced into the Egyptian wheat cv. Giza 164 via biolistic bombardment. Immature embryo derived calli were sub-cultured on CIMB medium containing bialaphos. After six weeks, the survived embryogenic calli were placed on MSRB regeneration selection medium. Finally, the green regenerated shoots produced were then transferred onto FMSB rooting selection medium. After the two weeks, healthy rooted plantlets were established under the rooting selection medium, and were then transferred into soil pots, then incubated in control growth chamber for acclimatization and subsequently trans-ferred to greenhouse until seed setting. In-tegration of the transgene with a transfor-mation frequency of 1.8% was confirmed by PCR and dot-blot analyses.