Gene Transformation Using Pollen OR Pollen Tube - There has been a hope that DNA can be taken up by the germinating pollen and can either integrate into sperm nuclei or reach the zygote through the pollen tube pathway. Both these approaches have been tried and interesting phenotypic alterations suggesting gene transfer have been obtained.

In no case, however, unequivocal proof of gene transfer has been available. In a number of experiments, when marker genes were used for transfer, only negative results were obtained.

Several problems exist in this method and these include the presence of cell wall, nucleases, heterochromatic state of acceptor DNA, callose plugs in pollen tube, etc.

Transgenic plants have never been recovered using this approach and this method, though very attractive, seems to have little potential for gene transfer.