This study was carried out to develop an efficient transformation protocol via particle bombardment with PLBs (protocorm-like bodies) in Phalaenopsis. To achieve this aim, osmoticum treatment and an increasing shooting chances in particle bombardment process were applied for this study. In addition, pCAMBIA3301: ORE7 vector which contains a herbicide-resistance bar gene as a selectable marker and ORE7 gene as a gene of interests were employed. With regard to the increasing chances of shooting in particle bombardment, double shooting was the best results with 1.5 ~ 2.5 times higher than those of a single or triple shooting treatment in the productioon of PPT (D-L-phosphinothricin)- resistant PLBs. However, regeneration rate of shoots in double shooting was not high as a single shooting. Further, double shooting showed 35 ~ 40% higher than that of a single shooting in the frequency of browning. Regarding effects of different osmotic treatments, combination of 0.2 M sorbitol with 0.2 M mannitol showed the best results in transformation efficiency, regeneration of transformants and reduction of browning. Putative transgenic Phalaenopsis plants were analyzed by PCR analysis and confirmed the presence of bar and ORE 7 gene. Also, real-time PCR was conducted by using 21 transgenic plants and showed only 4 plants had one copy of transgene; whereas, the other 17 plants had more than 2 copies of transgene. Transgenic phalaenopsis plants produced in this study were transferred to pots and flowered normally without morphological variations in flower and leaf.

Keywords: Orchids, Particle bombardment, Phalaenopsis, Regeneration, Transformation