EN
Plant transformation is a technology widely used in gene functional analysis and crop improvement. In this article we have attempted to sum up the studies on plant transformation carried out by the Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, pointing out to recent developments in this field. Efficient Agrobacterium-based transformation protocols for cucumber and tomato were established and applied. Several traits, including fruit taste (thaumatin gene), chilling tolerance (pGT::DHN24), parthenocarpy (DefH9::iaaM), and virus resistance (TSWV nucleoprotein gene), were modified. Transgenic cucumber lines expressing mitochondrially targeted GFP protein were developed. Sensory evaluation of fruit traits and of unintended effects of cucumber expressing thaumatin gene was made. Cucumber and tomato transformation was also applied with the aim to carry out gene functional analysis. Having introduced overexpression, silencing, and promoter gene constructs, we were able to obtain several transgenic tomato lines. Attempts have been made to set up an efficient method of sweet pepper transformation.