Effect of antibiotic kanamycin on cultured cotyledon and hypocotyl tissues of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon cv. Solan vajr)

The aminoglycoside antibiotic kanamycin was evaluated for its effects on cultured hypocotyl and cotyledon tissues of tomato. On this basis, the potential use of kanamycin as a selective agent in genetic transformation with the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene as the selective marker gene was evaluated. Successful plant transformation requires effective regeneration and selection systems. Increasing concentration of kanamycin generally resulted in full or partial inhibition of growth of plant tissue. A decrease in fresh weight in cotyledon and hypocotyl explants was observed with the increase in kanamycin concentration. Even 50 mg/l kanamycin did not completely inhibit the growth at the initial stage, but later on callus formation and shoot regeneration was affected. This was further used for genetic transformation of tomato using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer system.