Clover, Red (Trifolium pratense)

Abstract

Genetic modification of plants by the insertion of transgenes can be a powerful experimental approach to answer basic questions about gene product function. This technology can also be used to make improved crop varieties for use in the field. To apply this powerful tool to red clover, an important forage legume, a population of red clover with high potential for regeneration in tissue culture has been developed. Here we provide a detailed procedure for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of genotypes derived from this regenerable population. We have successfully used this methodology to express β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter genes as well as for hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of endogenous genes for polyphenol oxidase and a transferase crucial in phaselic acid accumulation.