Microclonal propagation and genetic transformation of Populus sp. for improving the abiotic stress tolerance

Due to fast growth rate, easy propagation, broad area of distribution, good applicability for the wood products, paper and biofuel industry Populus species become very popular plants for growing in tree plantations. They are also very important trees in fundamental biology as well as in biotechnology. Biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, wood modification, herbicide resistance, fast-growing, phytoremediation are main directions for improving the poplar genome through gene manipulation.

The purpose of our work is developing the methods for microclonal propagation, direct plant regeneration from explants and genetic transformation of several perspective clones of Populus for improving some characteristics. For this aim several perspective Populus species were introduced into in vitro culture. For genetic transformation experiments the methods of direct shoot regeneration from leaf explants were developed.

Fig. 1. Populus sp. in in vitro culture

Fig. 2. Genetic transformation of Populus and evaluation of transformants under salt stress