Production of herbicide-tolerant zoysiagrass by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

Herbicide-resistant zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) has been developed by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A callus-type transformation system was established by optimizing several factors that affect the rate of transformation, including co-cultivation period and concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), CaCl2 and acetosyringone. Maximal GUS expression was observed when a Type 3 callus was co-cultivated on 2,4-D-free co-cultivation medium for 9 d. In addition, removal of calcium and addition of 50-100 mg/L acetosyringone during co-cultivation enhanced GUS expression. When this optimized protocol was applied to the transformation of the bialaphos resistance gene (bar), four plants per 700 mg of infected calluses survived on the selective medium. DNA gel-blot analysis showed that two copies of the transgene had been integrated. After application of 2 g/L bialaphos for a week the transgenic plants survived herbicide spraying, while untransformed zoysiagrasses and invading weeds died. The herbicide-tolerant zoysiagrass will permit more efficient weed control in this widely cultivated turf grass.