Production of Transgenic
Banana Plants Resistant to |
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Banana virus diseases, particularly banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) and banana mosaic disease (BMD) caused by banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) and banana-cucumber mosaic Cucumovirus (Banana-CMV) respectively, have an enormous negative impact on banana production in Egypt. Although conventional non-molecular control means such as quarantine, eradication and certified virus-free stock have successfully been used to reduce crop losses caused by these viruses, they were not effective enough for controlling BBTD and BMD. Recently, molecular genetic engineering techniques have become available and new approaches have been suggested to control banana virus diseases. OBJECTIVES • Isolation, identification and purification of viruses affecting banana in Egypt. • Generation of polyclonal and/or monoclonal antibodies against BBTV and Banana-CMV. • Development of ELISA kits for BBTV and Banana-CMV detection. • Evaluation of some modern techniques for detection of banana viruses. • Evaluation of the sensitivity of banana cultivars to BBTV and Banana-CMV infection in Egypt. • Establishment of transformation system in banana using some marker genes. • Production of transgenic banana plants resistant to Banana-CMV. • Production of transgenic banana plants resistant to BBTV. • Evaluation of BBTV and Banana-CMV resistance in the transgenic banana plants under greenhouse and field conditions. • Evaluation of physiological performance of transgene as
compared to nontransgenic banana plants and identifying a gene product marker(s) to
transgene(s). |
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