Elementary plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (2+1)

Stage 0: Preparative stage

• This stage involves the preparation of mother plants to provide quality explants for better establishment of aseptic cultures in stage 1. To reduce the contamination problem in the subsequent stages, mother plant should be grown in a glasshouse and watered so as to avoid overhead irrigation. This will also reduce the need for a harsh sterilization treatment. Stage 0 also includes exposing the stock plants to suitable light, temperature and growth regulator treatments to improve the quality of explants.


• In the case of photosensitive plants it may be possible to obtain suitable explants throughout the year by controlling photoperiod in the glasshouse. For example, red-light treated plants of Petunia provided leaf explants which produced up to three times as many shoots as did the explants from untreated plants. Further, selection of mother plants which contains the trait of interest should also be ensured.