Development of transgenic pea (Pisum sativum L.) for improved tolerance to insect pests and fungal pathogens (2009)

Set of Czech pea cultivars was transformed by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with construct containing protease inhibitor transgene gmSPI2, originated from salivary glands of Galleria mellonela. It was exprimed in Pichia pastoris and its high effectiveness to bacterial and fungal proteases was proved.T0 plants were histochemically tested for GUS expression, then, putative transformants were tested using PCR. From total ca 300 regenerated T1 lines, 150 samples of putative transformants were tested by PCR and more than 60 of them gave positive results. In total, the effectiveness of transformation ranged between 1-5% from initially established explants. Improved resistance to insects (Bruchus pisorum) and possibly also to some fungal pathogens (complex of leaf anthracnoses and root diseases) are expected.