GENETIC-TRANSFORMATION OF ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS L AND INHERITANCE OF ALTERED PHENOTYPE INDUCED BY RI T-DNA

Hairy roots were obtained from snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) plants infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes harbouring the agropine type Ri plasmid (pRiA4). Plant regeneration occurred spontaneously on Linsmaier-Skoog (LS) medium lacking phytohormones under a 16-h/day photoperiod. Phenotypic alterations such as dwarfness, decrease in apical dominance, increase in number of flowers and stimulation of root production were observed in transformed plants. Opine analysis suggested the integration of TR-DNA and Southern analysis confirmed multiple integrations of TL-DNA. One of the transformed plants was fertile, and the progeny also exhibited the dwarf phenotype and had small flowers and elliptical leaves. Progeny expressing phenotypic alterations retained core T-DNA including rol genes.