Kombinasi penggunaan teknologi DNA rekombinan, metode transfer gen, dan teknik kultur jaringan telah menghasilkan transformasi yang efisien dan produksi tanaman transgenik dalam berbagai tanaman. Bahkan, transgenesis telah muncul sebagai alat tambahan untuk melakukan pembibitan satu gen atau pembibitan transgenik tanaman. Pendekatan transgenik menyediakan akses ke kolam gen yang lebih besar, sebagai gen (s) mungkin berasal dari virus, bakteri, jamur, serangga, hewan, manusia, tidak terkait tanaman, dan bahkan dari sintesis kimia di laboratorium.
Tidak seperti pembibitan konvensional, hanya gen kloning (s) dari kepentingan agronomi adalah/sedang diperkenalkan tanpa Co-transfer gen/alel yang tidak diinginkan dari orang tua donor. Genotipe Penerima paling tidak terganggu, yang menghilangkan kebutuhan untuk backsalib berulang. Berbagai metode transfer gen seperti Agrobacterium, penyerapan fisikokimia DNA, enkapasi liposom, elektroporasi protoplast, mikroinjeksi, injeksi DNA ke dalam tanaman utuh, inkubasi benih dengan DNA, jalur tabung serbuk sari, laser microbeam, elektroporasi menjadi jaringan/embrio, metode serat silikon karbida/cambang, bombardment partikel, dan "dalam Planta" transformasi telah dikembangkan. Menggunakan metode dan strategi transfer gen yang berbeda, transgenics membawa sifat agronomi berguna telah dikembangkan dan dirilis untuk budidaya komersial. Upaya sedang dilakukan untuk mengembangkan varietas tanaman transgenik resisten terhadap tekanan abiotik, seperti kekeringan, suhu rendah dan tinggi, garam, dan logam berat, dan juga untuk mengembangkan varietas transgenik memiliki efisiensi penggunaan nutrisi yang lebih baik dan lebih baik menjaga, gizi dan kualitas pengolahan. Makanan yang dimodifikasi secara genetik, seperti tomat yang mengandung Lycopene tinggi, tomat dengan flavonol tinggi sebagai antioksidan, vaksin dimakan, adalah contoh terkemuka tanaman rekayasa genetika. Beberapa gen penting agronomi telah terisolasi dari berbagai organisme; konstruksi kloning dan cocok telah dikembangkan untuk transformasi tanaman. Agrobacterium dan metode "senjata partikel" telah disempurnakan dan sekarang digunakan untuk transformasi genetik dari berbagai bidang, buah, sayur, tanaman hutan, dan spesies tanaman hias. Tanaman transgenik seperti jagung, kapas, kedelai, kentang, tomat, pepaya, dan beras yang membawa resistensi serangga terutama, herbisida perlawanan, atau keduanya sekarang sedang tumbuh secara komersial di beberapa negara.
The combined use of recombinant DNA technology, gene-transfer methods, and tissue-culture techniques has led to the efficient transformation and production of transgenic plants in a wide variety of crop plants. In fact, transgenesis has emerged as an additional tool to carry out single-gene breeding or transgenic breeding of crops. The transgenic approach provides access to a larger gene pool, as the gene(s) may come from viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, animals, human beings, unrelated plants, and even from chemical synthesis in the laboratory.
Unlike conventional breeding, only the cloned gene(s) of agronomic importance is/are being introduced without co-transfer of undesirable genes/alleles from the donor parent. The recipient genotype is least disturbed, which eliminates the need for repeated backcrosses. Various gene-transfer methods such as Agrobacterium, physicochemical uptake of DNA, liposome encapsulation, electroporation of protoplast, microinjection, DNA injection into intact plants, incubation of seeds with DNA, pollen tube pathway, laser microbeam, electroporation into tissues/embryos, silicon carbide fiber/whiskers method, particle bombardment, and “in planta” transformation have been developed. Using different gene-transfer methods and strategies, transgenics carrying useful agronomic traits have been developed and released for commercial cultivation. Attempts are being made to develop transgenic crop varieties resistant to abiotic stresses, such as drought, low and high temperature, salts, and heavy metals, and also to develop transgenic varieties possessing better nutrient-use efficiency and better keeping, nutritional and processing qualities. Genetically modified foods, such as tomato containing high lycopene, tomato with high flavonols as antioxidants, edible vaccines, are leading examples of genetically engineered crops. Several genes of agronomic importance have been isolated from various organisms; cloned and suitable constructs have been developed for plant transformation. Agrobacterium and “particle gun” methods have been refined and now being used for genetic transformation of a wide variety of field, fruit, vegetable, forest crops, and ornamental plant species. Transgenic crops such as maize, cotton, soybean, potato, tomato, papaya, and rice carrying mainly insect resistance, herbicide resistance, or both are now being commercially grown in several countries.
