Direct somatic embryogenesis and transformation in Cicer arietinum L.

Somatic embryos were induced directly from immature cotyledons of the genotype of chickpea ICC 4918 (annigiri) on B5 medium supplemented with 2,4,5-T or 2,4-D in combination with BA or KN. Successful transformation was achieved via somatic embryogenesis using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404, carrying a binary plasmid vector system containing neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) gene as the selectable marker and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene. Histochemical staining for GUS expression was observed as primary evidence for transformation.