Tissue Culture

Tissue culture also known as micropropagation or vitro propagation, refers to the process of using tissue culture techniques to propagate plants in a controlled laboratory environment. It involves the cultivation of plant cells, tissues, or organs in a nutrient-rich medium under sterile conditions. Tissue culture offers several advantages in plant propagation. It allows the rapid production of uniform plants exhibiting specific traits. It also enables the propagation of plants that are difficult to propagate through traditional methods, such as those with sterile seeds or low seed viability. Tissue culture is widely used in commercial nurseries, agricultural research, and conservation efforts to propagate and preserve plant species.

Step 1 - A small piece of plant tissue called an explant, is collected from a donor plant. This explant can be taken from various plant parts such as the shoot tip, leaf, or stem. The explant is carefully selected to ensure it has the desired traits and is free of diseases or contaminants.

Step 2 - The explant is sterilized to eliminate surface microorganisms or contaminants. This is typically done by immersing the explant in a sterilizing solution, such as bleach or alcohol, followed by rinsing it with sterile water.

Step 3 - The sterilized explant is placed on a sterile nutrient-rich agar medium, typically containing sugars, vitamins, minerals, and plant hormones. The medium provides the necessary nutrients for the plant to grow and develop.

Step 4 - The explant grows and multiplies in the culture medium. It forms a mass of undifferentiated cells called a callus. The callus can be further divided and subcultured on fresh media to increase cell numbers and promote growth.

Step 5 - Depending on the plant species and desired outcome, the callus or specific cell types can be manipulated using plant growth regulators to induce shoots. These shoots can develop into complete plants.

Step 6 - Once the shoots have grown and developed, they can be transferred to the rooting medium to stimulate root formation. This medium contains specific hormones and nutrients to encourage root growth.

Step 7 - After the shoots have developed roots, they are gradually exposed to the external environment. This involves transferring the plants to soil or a suitable growing area outside the laboratory. They are carefully monitored and cared for to ensure their successful establishment.