PLANT TISSUE CULTURE Meaning and
Definition
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Plant tissue culture refers to the technique of growing and maintaining plant cells, tissues, or organs in vitro, outside the organism's natural environment. This method involves the aseptic culture of plant cells and tissues in vitro in a nutrient medium containing various growth regulators and essential nutrients. The process involves the isolation of a small piece of plant tissue, such as an explant, which is then cultured in a controlled environment.
In plant tissue culture, explants can be obtained from various sources such as leaves, stems, roots, or embryos. These explants are typically sterilized to remove any surface contaminants before being placed in a culture medium. The culture medium itself provides the necessary nutrients and hormones required for the growth of the explant. Hormones such as auxins and cytokinins play a crucial role in the regulation of cell division, differentiation, and organ formation in plant tissue culture.
Plant tissue culture offers a range of applications in plant propagation, genetic modification, and conservation. It allows for the production of large numbers of disease-free and genetically identical plants through a process called micropropagation. Genetic modification techniques, such as transformation or somatic hybridization, can be performed on the cultured cells to introduce desirable traits into plants. Additionally, plant tissue culture plays a vital role in the conservation and preservation of rare or endangered plant species through cryopreservation or in vitro storage methods. Overall, plant tissue culture is an essential tool in plant science and biotechnology, providing avenues for plant propagation, genetic improvement, and conservation.
