Fertile, transgenic Triticale ( × Triticosecale Wittmack).

Fertile transgenic Triticale ( × Triticosecale Wittmack) plants expressing the β-glucuronidase ( uidA) and phosphinothricin acetyltransferase ( bar) genes were obtained after microprojectile bombardment of scutellar tissue with the plasmid pDB1 containing the uidA gene under the control of the actin-1 promoter (Act1) from rice and the selectable marker gene bar under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter. From 465 bombarded scutella about 4000 plantlets were regenerated; 300 plants survived the selection. These regenerants were screened for enzyme activity by the histological GUS assay and by spraying the plants with a herbicide (Basta). Twenty-five regenerants showed GUS activity and survived repeated Basta spraying. Southern blot analysis showed the presence of both marker genes introduced into the genome of analysed plants. All transgenic plants were fertile. They were grown to maturity and set seed. Pollen and progeny analyses provided evidence for inheritance of the introduced genes to the next generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]