The Arabidopsis ICE1 (inducer of CBF expression 1) gene was cloned through RT-PCR of Arabidopsis cDNAs and introduced into the lemon (Citrus Limon (L.) Burm. F. cv. Eureka) genome using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method. Epicotyl segments from in vitro grown lemon seedlings were co-cultivated with A. tumefaciens strain EHA 105 carrying the binary plasmid pMVICE1, whose T-DNA region contain ICE1 gene driven by 35S CaMV promoter. Among 320 epicotyl segments inoculated, 71 explants responded and regenerated 51 elongated shoots. These shoots were subjected to an extra month of kanamycin exposure. In this way, the number of escapes reduced. Thirteen of 31 survived shoots formed roots and 7 were tested positive using PCR technique. Southern blot analyses confirmed PCR results and demonstrated that more than two copies of the ICE1 gene were integrated into the lemon genome.
