Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Agrobacteriumrhizogenes
-Mediated
Transformation and Its Biotechnological
Applications in Crops
Ibrahim Ilker Ozyigit, Ilhan Dogan and Ebru Artam Tarhan
Abstract
The history of
Agrobacterium
-related plant biotechnology goes back for
more than three decades with the discovery of molecular mechanisms of crown gall
disease in plants. After 1980s, gene technologies began developing rapidly and today,
related with the improved gene transfer methods, plant biotechnology has become one
of the most important branches in science. Till now, the most important genes related
with agricultural affairs have been utilized for cloning of plants with the deploy-
ment of different techniques used in genetic engineering. Especially,
Agrobacterium
tumefaciens
was used extensively for transferring desired genetic materials to plants
rapidly and effectively by the researchers to create transgenic plants. Recognition
of the biology of
Agrobacterium
species and newly developed applications of their
T-DNA systems has been a great step in plant biotechnology. This chapter provides
the reader with extensive information on
A. rhizogenes
which is responsible for the
development of hairy root disease in a wide range of dicotyledonous plants and its
T-DNA system. This knowledge will be useful in improving utilization of crops and
the formulation of new and up-graded transgenic based food products.
Introduction
The increase in demand for food is dramatic with an expanding population
growth in the world. According to latest projections, continued increase at the
current rate of the population is expected to reach between 7.5 and 10.5 billion by
