Which technique is used to introduce genes into dicots?

The technique commonly used to introduce genes into dicots (dicotyledonous plants) is Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Here’s how it works:

1. Agrobacterium tumefaciens: This bacterium is a natural genetic engineer that can transfer a piece of its own DNA (called T-DNA) into the genome of plant cells.

2. T-DNA: The T-DNA contains genes that encode for the production of plant hormones, causing the infected plant cells to form a tumor-like growth (called a crown gall).

3. Genetic Engineering: Researchers have modified Agrobacterium to remove the tumor-inducing genes and replace them with genes of interest, such as genes for herbicide resistance, insect resistance, or enhanced nutritional content.

4. Transformation Process:
– Agrobacterium is grown in culture with the DNA construct of interest.
– The bacterial cells are then used to infect plant tissues (such as leaf discs, stem segments, or immature embryos).
– The infected plant tissues are then cultured on selective media to allow the growth of transformed cells.
– Transformed cells are regenerated into whole plants.

5. Advantages: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is widely used because it is relatively simple, efficient, and can lead to stable integration of the introduced genes into the plant genome.

This technique has been successfully applied to many dicot plants, including important crops like soybean, cotton, and various vegetables.