Method and tissue culture media for inducing somatic embryogenesis, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and efficient regeneration of cacao plants

A method of inducing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of cacao, which method comprises:

• (a) co-culturing a cacao floral tissue explant or cell with a non-tumorigenic Agrobacterium to produce a transformed embryogenic callus, wherein the cacao tissue explant or cell is cultured on a primary callus growth medium, said primary callus growth medium comprising DKW basal salts, a carbon source, and at least two growth regulators;
• (b) culturing the embryogenic callus produced in step (a) on a secondary callus growth medium having the property of inducing homeostatic growth and bipolar callus development, wherein the secondary callus growth medium is comprised of a low salt WPM basal medium, at least one growth regulator and a carbon source;
• and
• (c) culturing the callus produced in step (b) on a hormone-free embryo development medium having the property of inducing embryo differentiation, wherein the embryo development medium is comprised of a DKW basal medium and a carbon source.