Studies on the transfer techniques of three maize genes.

Maize transformation has been carried out through microprojectile bombardment, ultrasonication in a DNA buffer, and ovary-injection with a self-made microinjector. The plasmid pB48.415, which carries a 3'-truncated Bt-toxin protein gene and a hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) gene, was used in the transformation. Transgenic maize plants were obtained from immature embryos and embryogenic calli bombarded with a particle gun, embryogenic calli ultrasonicated under different conditions of ovaries injected 10-20 hours after pollination. The results of Dot blotting and Southern blotting analyses proved the integration of the Bt gene into maize genome.