Articles
EMERGING THEMES IN IN VITRO CULTURE AND THEIR APPLICATIONS TO HORTICULTURE
Article number
725_31
Pages
241 – 254
Language
English
Abstract
Over 100 years ago, Haberlandt envisioned the concept of plant tissue culture and provided the groundwork for the cultivation of plant cells, tissues and organs in culture.
Initially plant tissue culture arose as a research tool, and focused on attempts to culture and study the development of small, isolated cells and segments of plant tissues.
At the peak of the plant tissue culture era in the 1980s, in a relatively short time, many commercial laboratories were established around the world to capitalise on the potential of micropropagation for mass production of clonal plants for the horticulture industry.
However, experience has since shown that micropropagation is not a universal panacea.
Today plant tissue culture applications encompass much more than clonal propagation.
The range of routine technologies has expanded to include somatic embryogenesis as well as the application of bioreactors to mass propagation.
Perhaps the greatest value of these tissue culture technologies lies not so much in their application to mass clonal propagation but rather in their role underpinning developments and applications in plant improvement, molecular biology and bioprocessing, as well as being a basic research tool.
This paper will highlight some of the applications of plant tissue culture to horticulture, putting into perspective the achievements and limitations, and concluding with some insights into current and possible future developments.
Initially plant tissue culture arose as a research tool, and focused on attempts to culture and study the development of small, isolated cells and segments of plant tissues.
At the peak of the plant tissue culture era in the 1980s, in a relatively short time, many commercial laboratories were established around the world to capitalise on the potential of micropropagation for mass production of clonal plants for the horticulture industry.
However, experience has since shown that micropropagation is not a universal panacea.
Today plant tissue culture applications encompass much more than clonal propagation.
The range of routine technologies has expanded to include somatic embryogenesis as well as the application of bioreactors to mass propagation.
Perhaps the greatest value of these tissue culture technologies lies not so much in their application to mass clonal propagation but rather in their role underpinning developments and applications in plant improvement, molecular biology and bioprocessing, as well as being a basic research tool.
This paper will highlight some of the applications of plant tissue culture to horticulture, putting into perspective the achievements and limitations, and concluding with some insights into current and possible future developments.
Authors
A. Taji, P. Lakshmanan, R. Williams
Keywords
biotechnology, bioreactor, micropropagation, plant improvement, synthetic seed, temporary immersion system
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