A quick, easy and cost-effective method to develop direct transformants in wheat.

mediated method was used to transform Indian elite wheat genotype HD2894 with herbicide-tolerant - (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene. The apical meristems of germinated seeds were targeted for introgression of transgene. The obtained T plants were screened by spraying 1% glyphosate and only positive transformants survived. The presence of transgene was also confirmed by PCR and Southern hybridization. Using this method, 3.07% transformation rate was observed. To identify transgenic lines carrying stably integrated - gene, the transgenic populations were screened in T generation using 1% glyphosate and lines with 100% survival were considered as homozygous. No significant morpho-physiological variations were observed within the transgenic lines as compared to non-transgenic plants. The present study resulted in herbicide-tolerant transgenic wheat and provides a valuable tool for development of wheat genetic transformation.