To improve the transformation efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, we explored the possibility of employing the basal portion of wheat seedling (shoot apical meristem) as the explants. Three genotypes of wheat were transformed by A. tumefaciens carrying β-1, 3-glucanase gene. After vernalization, the seeds to be transformed were germinated. When these seedlings grew up to 2～5cm, their coleop tile and half of the cotyledon were cut out, and the basal portions were infected by A. tumefaciens. A total 27 To transgenic plants were obtained, and the average transfor mation efficiency was as high as 9.82%. Evident segrega tion occurred in some of the T1 plants, as was indicated by PCR and Southern blotting analysis. Investigation of the T2 plants revealed that some transformed plants had higher resistance to powdery mildew than the controls. Northern blotting revealed that β-1, 3-glucanase gene was normally expressed in the T2 plants, which showed an increased resistance to powdery mildew. The results above indicate that the exogenous gene has been successfully integrated into the genome of wheat, transmitted and expressed in the transgenic progeny. From all the results above, it can be concluded that Agrobacterium-inoculum to the basal por-tion of wheat seedling is a highly efficient and dependable transformation method. It can be developed into a practi-cable method for transfer of target gene to wheat.