Tissue Culture, Cloning

[LITLJON]

Tissue culture, cloning has ayone tried this?

 

What is tissue culture?

Click here to find out about the techniques involved and some of the applications to which tissue culture can be applied.

The key to tissue culture is 'totipotency' - which means the ability for a plant to regenerate from a single cell back into a whole plant.

Tissue culture is a form of cloning in which the plants are all genetically the same - similar to taking cuttings.

Tissue culture is used to mass produce plants.

Tissue culture must be done in a sterile environment - plants are grown without roots on a growth medium that supplies all the nutrients they require.

The growing media can be changed to suit different plant species but includes water, vitamins & minerals and a gelling agent like agar.

Plant growth regulators (plant hormones) like auxins and cytokinins are added to increase multiplication of the plants, or auxins for developing roots.

Plants are grown in plastic or glass containers placed in controlled growth rooms set at about 24 degrees Celsius, under lights (16 hours on and 8 off).

:Botanic Garden Trust