PUTATIVE GENETICALLY MODIFIED CALLUS DERIVED FROM TRANSFORMED HAIRY ROOTS INDUCED ON SUGARBEET (BETA VULGARIS) EXPLANTS BY AGROBACTERIUM RHIZOGENES 1601 HARBOURING RI-PLASMID

Hairy roots were induced on leaf explants excised from sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) plants when inoculated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1601. Paper electrophoresis proved the presence of agropine, the unusual amino acid in these roots which demonstrated the transformation of these tissues. Transformed hairy roots were easily grown on agar-solidified Murashige and Skoog, 1962 (MS) medium containing 0.5mgl-1 2,4dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) or B5 medium supplemented with a mixture of 0.7 mgl-1 Benzyl Adenine (BA) and 0.7 mgl-1 (2,4-D). Callus produced from these hairy roots grown on MS medium was of friable and white in color, while brown in color on B5 medium. Calli were grown efficiently in liquid B5 medium provided with a mixture of 1.0 mgl-1 kinetine (Kin.) and 1.0 mgl-1 2,4-D. These results may contribute in transformation of sugarbeet plants.