TOWARDS PRODUCTION OF TRANSGENIC DATE PALM USING AGROINJECTION FOR TRANSIENT EXPRESSION OF PLANT AND Agrobacterium-mediated TRANSFORMATION

Transient expression of foreign genes in plant tissues is a valuable tool for testing the efficacy of transformation methods. In this work, we present for the first time, the utilization of agroinjection as an efficient transformation system for gene delivery in date palm fruit. Date palm is being under cultivation as a socio-economic crop primarily in dry lands of North Africa, Middle East and Gulf region. Thus, application of modern techniques such as genetic engineering and molecular markers is mandatory to improve genetic background of date palm against biotic or abiotic stresses. In this study, an efficient transformation protocols for gene delivery in date palm was established. Transient expression of foreign genes in plant tissues is a valuable tool for plant transformation technology. To decrease the time for analysis of the expression of any gene of interest in plant tissues or fruits, by using a transient assay methodology that could be applied to plant and date palm fruits. This method, called fruit agroinjection, β-glucuronidase protein transient expression in the date palm fruit, with high expression levels in fruits. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 carried out a plant binary vector pRI201-AN-GUS was used for transient expression assay. Agroinjection is efficient transient expression assays for reporter gene and analysis of candidate genes in plants. Fruits agroinjection was assayed in our case study: the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene expressions in date palm, we prove the efficient of this reliable technology as a tool for assay transgene expression in date palm plants.