Genetic transformation of Populus trichocarpa genotype Nisqually-1: a functional genomic tool for woody plants

We report here the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of Nisqually-1, a Populus trichocarpa genotype whose genome was recently sequenced. Several systems were established. Internodal stem segments from vigorously growing greenhouse plants are the explants most amenable to transformation. For the most efficient system, approximately 40% of the stem segments infected with pBI121-containing Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 produced transgenic calli, as confirmed by beta-glucuronidase (GUS) staining. The regeneration efficiency of independent transgenic plants was approximately 13%, as revealed by genomic Southern analysis. Some transgenic plants were produced in as little as 5 months after co-cultivation. This system may help to facilitate studies of gene functions in tree growth and development at a genome level.