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Abstract
Genetic engineering provides the opportunity to achieve improbable traits in relatively rapid generational times. Genetic engineering of a plant species also requires the establishment of an efficient tissue culture pipeline. Here, four varieties of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were tested for their response to embryogenesis. Variety ATF 1594 showed operable callus formation (~22%) and was subsequently utilized to transform either a spinach gibberellin 2-oxidase3 gene (SoGA2ox3) or a Streptomyces hygroscopicus glufosinate resistance gene (bar). Genes of interest were cloned into plant-based expression cassettes and biolistically bombarded into tall fescue calli. Resulting engineered SoGA2Ox plants showed reduced growth and a darker green color, while regenerated bar plants exhibited herbicide resistance.