ˌæɡɹəbɐktˈɪɹiəmmˈiːdɪˌeɪɾᵻd dʒˈiːn tɹˈænsfɜː wʌz baɪ fˈɑːɹ ðə mˈoʊst kˈɑːmən tˈuːl fɔːɹ ˌæɡɹɪkˈʌltʃɚɹəl bˌaɪoʊtɛknˈɑːlədʒi, bˌʌt dˈuː tə kˈɑːmplɛks ænd ɛkstˈɛnsɪv pˈæʔn̩ɾɪŋ, ænd ɐɡɹˈɛsɪv pɚsˈuːt ʌv dˈɑːmɪnənt pˈæʔn̩ts baɪ mɔnsˈæntoʊ, ðə jˈuːs ʌvðə tˈuːl wʌz kənstɹˈeɪnd tə mˈɪɹli ˌækədˈɛmɪk pɚsˈuːts ɔːɹ baɪ jˈuːs ʌv mˌʌltɪnˈæʃənəl kˌɔːɹpɚɹˈeɪʃənz ˌʌndɚ lˈaɪsəns.
Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer was by far the most common tool for agricultural biotechnology, but due to complex and extensive patenting, and aggressive pursuit of dominant patents by Monsanto, the use of the tool was constrained to merely academic pursuits or by use of multinational corporations under license.