Common hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most popular crop plants over the world. Its genetic, biochemical and in vitro features has being studied extensively. Beside this fact, we should not forget about other hexaploid wheat species, which also can have many unique, important and useful agronomic and biotechnological traits. Among hexaploid wheat, spelt (Triticum spelta L.) has number of promising characteristics, such as high protein content (near 25 %), big mass seeds (positive impact on 1000 grain weight), hard glume (protects seeds from insects), and also some varieties demonstrate natural high resistance to stem rust and septoriosis. Spelt is well-known in Europe, especially for organic farming. Unfortunately, today we know in a thousand times less about molecular genetics and biotechnological features of T. spelta L. than of T. aestivum L. According to this idea, hexaploid spelt seems to be very interesting wheat species and its molecular genetics should be further studied.

For our study, we used winter variety “Europe” of hexaploid spelt. In our previous research this genotype demonstrated appropriate features (natural high resistance to stem rust, high protein content, big spike and middle lodging). For genetic transformation we used Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smithet Townsend) Conn strain GV3101. Our genetic construction had reporter gene GFP and selective gene BAR (resistance for phosphinothricin). We used mature embryos as explants. For callus induction we used standard MS media with 2,4-D 0,5mg/l and picloram 2 mg/l. We indicated that 7-day callus was the most appropriate for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. For inoculation we used 2,4-D 2 mg/l and picloram 2 mg/l, and also added 40 mg/l acetosyringone. In a few days, after cocultivation we passaged callus explants on new media for callus genesis and cultivated them in a dark for the next 14 days. After that, we put callus on MS media for regeneration with BAP 1 mg/l, picloram 0,1 mg/l, vitamin B5 and added selective agent – phosphinothricin 2 mg/l (light 16/8,+ 26 C). After 30 days of cultivation on regenerative media with selective agent we have received green stems without roots (16,66 %), which we put on new MS media with phosphinothricin 3 mg/l. We have indicated transient expression of GFP gene (13, 33 %) after genetic transformation. This GFP expression was gone on 17 day after its first observation. Molecular-biological analysis shown transgenic nature of calli and regenerants obtained.