An innovative and efficient genetic transformation protocol for European chestnut is described in which embryogenic cultures are used as the target material. When somatic embryos at the globular or early-torpedo stages were cocultured for 4 days with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harbouring the pUbiGUSINT plasmid containing marker genes, a transformation efficiency of 25% was recorded. Murashige and Skoog culture medium containing 150 mg/l of kanamycin was used as the selection medium. The addition of acetosyringone was detrimental to the transformation efficiency. Transformation was confirmed by a histochemical beta-glucuronidase (GUS ) assay, PCR and Southern blot analyses for the uidA (GUS) and nptII (neomycin phosphotransferase II) genes. At present, 93 GUS-positive chestnut embryogenic lines are being maintained in culture. Low germination rates (6.3%) were recorded for the transformed somatic embryos. The presence of the transferred genes in leaves and shoots derived from the germinated embryos was also verified by the GUS assay and PCR analysis.