Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Transformation of Grape (Vitis vinífera sp.)

Vitis vinífera sp. is one of the most important commercialized fruit species in the world. Currently, Chile leads as the main fruit exporter and the fourth wine exporter worldwide. Therefore, implementing efficient regeneration and genetic transformation systems for species of the Vitis genus is of great importance for the country. In this chapter, optimal protocols are described for in vitro regeneration through somatic embryogenesis (SE) and somatic organogenesis (SO) of different table grape wine varieties. For SO, highly proliferative meristematic tissue masses were generated by combining shoot induction and removal of the apical meristem. Likewise, for SE, a system for generating and differentiating embryogenic tissue from another culture was developed. Using the regeneration systems via the implemented SE or SO, an optimal methodology for transformation through Agrobacterium tumefaciens was established for grape varieties or rootstocks, generating transgenic lines with stable genotypes and normal phenotypes.