Comparison of selective agents for use with the selectable marker gene bar in maize transformation

The effectiveness of four phosphinothricin (PPT)-based selective agents were evaluated for use in maize transformation: glufosinate, bialaphos, Basta^® and Herbiace^®. Glufosinate and its commercial formulation, Basta^®, were less effective in controlling growth of non-transgenic corn callus than the tripeptide, bialaphos, or its commercial formulation, Herbiace^®. Addition of 25 mM l-proline had no significant effect on selection when using bialaphos. However, when l-proline was included with the selective agent glufosinate, selection was inhibited and callus growth was enhanced. At four weeks, callus growth on 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg l^-1 glufosinate in the presence of proline was 76, 43, and 21% of control growth, respectively, and in the absence of proline was only 32, 9, and 6% of control growth. Optimized selection protocols for Basta^® and bialaphos yielded comparable numbers of transformants. Using these protocols, fertile transgenic plants were regenerated from transformed callus cultures.Abbreviations AA amino acid - GS glutamine synthetase - PAT phosphinothricin acetyl transferase - PPT 2-amino-(methylphosphinyl)-butanoic acid (phosphinothricin) - 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid