Soybean Genetics Newsletter - 2002

Database and information retrieval system for soybean varieties

Authors:
Savita Kolhe*, Kavita Mundankar, C.Tara Satyavathi, P.G. Karmakar and S.P. Tiwari

Abstract:
A software package (VIS) on varietal Information for Soybean has been developed in MSACCESS 97. This package provides detailed information on 35 different morphological characters of all the released/notified varieties of soybean in India. The information is retrieved in the form of comparison tables, colorful pictures and reports in a quick, easy and efficient manner with minimal keyboard intervention as per different users' needs.

Submitted paper:
paper.pdf

Soybean Transformation via the Pollen Tube Pathway

Authors:
Zenglu Li1,2, Randall L. Nelson1,3, Jack M. Widholm1, and Andrew Bent1,4

Abstract:
The pollen tube pathway method of transformation has been reported to be successful in several crops including soybean. DNA can be transferred by cutting the stigma following
pollination and applying the DNA solution on the severed style. DNA presumably reaches the ovary by flowing down the pollen tube and then integrates into the just fertilized but undivided zygotic cells. To provide the molecular evidence for this procedure, the plasmids pBI221 carrying a CaMV35S promoter-beta glucuronidase (gus) gene-nos terminator gene fusion construct and pBI0122 carrying a CaMV35S promoter-bar-g73' terminator gene fusion construct were used. Approximately 5000 seeds were produced from the flowers treated with DNA. None of the seeds from the plants treated with DNA containing the bar gene were found to be as resistant as the positive control. Morphological variation was observed in some plants, but this was not observed in the following generation. Approximately 2% of the seeds from plants treated with DNA containing the gus gene had a positive reaction in the GUS assay, however, no GUS activity was observed in the plant leaves from those seeds. Less than 3% of progeny seeds tested expressed a positive reaction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with seedling DNA did not detect the gus gene. Thus, we were unable to confirm the positive results of others when we used screenable marker genes.

Submitted paper:
TransSGN.pdf

Back to the Soybean Genetics Newsletter index page