Micropropagation

“… the art and

science of multiplying
plants in vitro.”
Clone
Genetically identical assemblage of individuals
propagated entirely by vegetative means from a
single plant.
Explant
Cell, tissue or organ of a
plant that is used to start
in vitro cultures.
Axillary shoot proliferation
Growth of axillary buds stimulated by cytokinin treatment;
shoots arise mostly from pre-existing meristems.
Shoot proliferating culture of ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherry
Fungal contamination in rhododendron culture
Rhododendron cultures in the lab of Herman Losely & Son Nursery, Perry, OH
Amelanchier laevis transplants and field planting.
 Micropropagation
Advantages

• From one to many propagules rapidly

• Multiplication in controlled lab conditions
• Continuous propagation year round
• Potential for disease-free propagules
 Conventional Propagation
Advantages
• Equipment costs minimal
• Experience can substitute for technical expertise
• Costs per unit are minimal
• Potential for disease-free propagules
• Specialized techniques for growth control (grafting
onto dwarfing rootstocks)
 Micropropagation
Limitations

• Equipment/facility intensive operation

• Technical expertise in management positions
• Protocols not optimized for all species
• Liners may not fit industry standard
• Propagules may be too expensive
 Micropropagation
Applications
• Rapid build up of stock of new, superior variety
• Elimination of endophytic disease
• Better suited to morphology/growth characteristics
(few offshoots/sprouts; date palms, ferns, nandinas)
• Propagules have enhanced growth features
(multibranched character; Ficus, Syngonium)
Shoot organogenesis
Adventitious meristems differentiate on leaf, stem, or
floral tissue.
African violet culture started
from leaf section.
Begonia x chiemanta ‘Emma’ at various stages in micropropagation.
Somatic Embryogenesis
Stimulation of callus or suspension cells to undergo a
developmental pathway that mimics the development of
the zygotic embryo.
Somatic
Hybridization
Fusion of protoplasts from
different genotypes to bring
about genetic recombination.
Somaclonal variation
Heritable genetic variation that arises in plants
produced through tissue culture.
Chimera
Plant composed of two genotypes growing adjacent
to one another in all (or part) of the plant body.
Inflorescence culture
The inflorescence of many plants is a modified branching
system. Vegetative meristems in the inflorescence may be
stimulated to proliferate in vitro.

bract

axil

peduncle
flower bud