Jatropha curcas, commonly known as the physic nut, is a perennial woody plant. With its seeds rich in high oil content, it is widely recognized as one of the most promising feedstock crops for biodiesel production. It also serves as a model species for studying perennial plant biology. However, its genetic improvement has been hindered by a reliance on conventional tissue culture-based transformation, which is often slow, expensive, technically demanding, and prone to contamination.
In a study published in IndustrialCrops and Products, researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have successfully established a new, efficient genetic transformation system for Jatropha curcas (J. curcas), bypassing the need for complex and time-consuming tissue culture techniques. The system used the plant’s cambium (a layer of actively dividing cells) as the primary receptor for gene delivery, enabling direct in situ generation of transgenic roots and shoots.
Using the visual RUBY reporter gene, the researchers developed three innovative methods: cutting-induced hypocotyl rooting system (CHR), girdling-induced branch rooting system (GBR), and cutting-induced hypocotyl budding system (CHB).
The GBR method proved particularly efficient, achieving a maximum transformation rate of 54.18% and producing an average of 9.80 transgenic roots per explant. Notably, it reduced the root initiation time to just 15 days, significantly outperforming the CHR approach.
Through the CHB protocol, the researchers accomplished the first-ever direct regeneration of transgenic shoots from the hypocotyl cambium of J. curcas without intermediate tissue culture steps, achieving transformation in approximately 45 days.
Additionally, the research revealed that seedlings were more responsive to root transformation, and the bacterial lawn inoculation method outperformed the traditional suspension method.
"Our study represents a significant leap forward for functional genomics and molecular breeding in woody plants. This technological platform is expected to accelerate the development of improved, high-yielding J. curcas varieties with superior agronomic traits, enhancing its potential as a sustainable bioenergy source,” said TANG Mingyong of XTBG.
Schematic diagram of three transformation systems in Jatropha curcas. (Image by SU Yiqing)
Available online: 12 January 2026
