Plant Propagation and Nursery Management (1+1)

Introduction

Micropropagation refers to the production of plants from very small plant parts, tissues or cells, grown aseptically in a test tube or containers under controlled nutritional, environmental and aseptic conditions. All the biological principles of micropropagation techniques are based on the phenomenon or totipotency of cell, which implies that a plant cell has the capacity to generate into a full-fledged plant having different organs.



Fig. 13.1: Steps involved in micropropagation

Micropropagation versus other propagation methods: Micropropagation propagation differs from other vegetative propagation methods as:

• A very small plant part (explants) is used as a starting material.
• The explants are maintained in small containers having well defined culture medium.
• Highly aseptic conditions are required.
• A large propagating material is produced in a very short-time.