How we approach plant transformation

Okanagan Specialty Fruits uses a number of different approaches to genetically transform different fruit species and varieties.  To genetically modify fruit using precision breeding, we use plant tissue predisposed to transformation.  This may be from leaf pieces (meristematic tissue) or from plant embryos (seed-derived tissue). 

Developers of agricultural biotechnology products frequently use plant selection genes to help differentiate the transgenic events after transformation.  Marker-free approaches are also used. The flow diagram below illustrates a general plant transformation approach.