Attachment study of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], yam spp., and tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum L.) explant

Abstract

Agrobacterium tumefaciens attachment as a factor in transformation was investigated in tef (Eragrostis tef) zygotic embryos, seeds, seedlings, leaf bases and embryogenic callus; leaf discs of yam species (Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea caynensis and Dioscorea alata); and leaf discs of tobacco (Nicotina tabaccum). Cocultivation was made with A1030(pCOPA10), A1030(pEB122), A1030(pTBl08), A1030(pIB422), A1030(virA:Tn5) and A281(pTiBO542). Attachment and fibrils were observed associated in all strains, species, plants and explant used. Even though attachment is observed in intact and wounded plants, preferential attachment was observed around the wound area of explants. Uniformity with bacteria binding was obtained with acetosyringone treatment. The strains used equally bound to tef and yam in the same way as they did to tobacco which was a positive control. Thus, tef and yam, like that of tobacco fit all the criteria for Agrobacterium attachment.

SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Volume 24, No. 2 (December 2001), pp. 185-195



Key words/phrases: Acetosyringone, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, plant-bacterial attachment, tef, scanning electron microscopy