The objective of this study was to optimize regeneration parameters of immature inflorescence culture of Triticum aestivum cv. Y&uuml / regir-89. The effects of dark incubation period and explant region on regeneration success were tested. Immature inflorescences were cut into 3 pieces as tip, mid, base and put onto 2mg /L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid containing callus induction medium. These explants were taken to regeneration after 6, 9, 13 weeks of dark incubation period. The regeneration capacities of calli were determined as rooting and shooting percentages. Shooting percentages were found to be 72.0 % for 6 weeks of dark incubation and 64.1 % for 9 weeks of dark incubation while it decreases to 26.1 % in 13 weeks of dark incubation period. This showed that prolonged dark incubation period decreased regeneration capacity of the callus. There was no significant difference in regeneration capacities of tip, mid and base regions of immature inflorescences, which reveals the potential of every region of inflorescence to be used as explant source in further transformation studies. Besides regeneration studies, optimization of transformation parameters for Turkish wheat cultivar Y&uuml / regir by using Agrobacterium tumefaciens AGLI containing binary vector pALl56 was performed. Transformation efficiencies were determined by monitoring the transient expression of uidA gene via histochemical GUS assay. Three to four weeks old calli were found to be more responsive to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Different media were tested for utilization during co-cultivation period. It was found that including phenolic compound acetosyringone along with ascorbic acid as an antioxidant was essential for succesful transformation.

iv The objective of this study was to optimize tissue culture and regeneration parameters of immature inflorescence culture of Triticum aestivum cv. Bezostaja- 01 and Triticum durum cv. Kiziltan-91. The effects of callus age and vernalisation time of explants on regeneration success were evaluated. For determination of optimum vernalisation time of immature inflorescence, plants subjected to 4 &deg / C for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks, respectively. Tillers containing immature inflorescences were collected at the same time. Percentage of inflorescence formed tillers over total explants were reached the highest value, 79 %, at 4 weeks cold treated Kiziltan cultivar and, 73 %, at 5 weeks cold treated Bezostaja cultivar. Isolated immature inflorescences were put onto 2mg /L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and picloram containing callus induction medium for Kiziltan and Bezostaja cultures, respectively. Callus induction rate were found to be 100 % for Kiziltan and Bezostaja. These explants were taken to regeneration after 6, 9, 12 and 15 weeks of dark incubation period. The regeneration capacities of calli were determined as shooting percentage and data were collected after 4, 8, 12, and 15 week regeneration period. The highest shooting percentage of 69 %, were obtained from 6 weeks old calli produced from 4 weeks vernalised explants in Kiziltan cultures at the end of 15 weeks regeneration period. However, shooting percentage was 57.2 % for 9 weeks old calli while it decreases to 37.6 % in 12 weeks old calli and 44.2 % in 15 weeks old calli at the end of 15 weeks regeneration period. This showed that prolonged dark incubation period decreased regeneration capacity of the callus. However, there was no significant difference in regeneration capacities of calli produced from Bezostaja immature inflorescence and the highest shooting percentage was obtained from 9 weeks old calli produced from 5 weeks vernalised explants, 27.4 %. Besides regeneration studies, optimization of transformation parameters for winter wheat cultivars Kiziltan and Bezostaja by using Agrobacterium tumefaciens AGLI containing binary vector pALl56 was performed. Transformation efficiencies were determined by monitoring the transient expression of uidA gene via histochemical GUS assay. Three to four weeks old calli were found to be more responsive to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Kiziltan cultures. However, four to five weeks old calli were found to be more responsive to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Bezostaja cultures. Different transformation protocols were used. It was found that MGL based and MMA based protocols could be used for Bezostaja and Kiziltan transformation, respectively. The highest GUS expression, 84%, was obtained from 28 weeks old calli produced from 5 weeks vernalised explants in Bezostaja cultures.