02019nam a2200169 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000190006024501020007926001080018130000110028950000390030052014470033965300310178670000150181770000170183219203132017-01-26       2011    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aFALEIRO, F. G.  aGenetic transformation of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) by biolistic gene transfer.  aIn: ANNUAL FESC SUMMIT, 3., 2011, Florida. Oral and poster session: abstracts. [Gainesville: FESCc2011  ap. 23.  aFlorida Energy Systems Consortium.  aElephantgrass is one of the prime feedstock candidates for lignocellulosic biofuel production. Biomass yield and low input characteristics like nutrient uptake efficiency and abiotic and biotic stress tolerance are the main targets for genetic improvement of elephantgrass. For example, resistance to Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a desirable trait for highly digestible elephantgrass accessions and can be introduced through transgenes encoding specific Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal δ-endotoxins (called crystal proteins or Cry proteins). However, a genetic transformation protocol is currently lacking for elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.). In this study, embryogenic callus of elephantgrass was used as target for biolistic co-transfer of unlinked constitutive selectable marker (nptII or hptII) expression cassette and the constitutive cry1Fa expression cassette. Different selection agents (paromomycin, geneticin and hygromycin) and bombardment parameters were compared. Following selection and regeneration of plants a total of 24 putative lines were confirmed as PCR positive for both nptII and cry1Fa. 18 of these lines displayed a detectable level of Cry1Fa protein in the Cry1Fa ELISA. We are currently producing vegetative progenies of these transgenic elephantgrass plants for insect resistance testing. This is the first report of genetic transformation and transgene expression in elephantgrass.  aPennisetum purpureum Schum1 aKIM, J. Y.1 aALTPETER, F.