Tissue culture

Plant Propagation

Tissue Culture

Tissue Culture

• A method of growing plants (called explants) on an artificial medium under sterile conditions

• Very technical

• Requires sterile environment

• Used commercially to mass propagate high dollar plants.– Orchids, ferns, Japanese maples, Kiwis

Requirements

• Proper tissue & plant

• Growth hormones in the media

• Growth medium with everything necessary to nourish the plant.

• Sterile environment

Types

• Callus culture– Grown on a petri dish– Solid media– Callus forms a lump of tissue

• Cell suspension culture– Grown in a jar – Liquid media– Small clusters of cells

Steps

• Establish a fern culture in organic media - callus– Take a cutting, sanitize it, put in agar– 16 hrs of florescent light a day– Wait 4 – 6 weeks

• Cut off any new shoots that have grown• Place in multiplying media

– Wait 2-4 weeks– Roots established – plantlets

• Place in growing media – Keep moist for 1-2 weeks

Sterile environment

• All surfaces washed with alcohol

• All tools sterilized

• All air is filtered – Laminar airflow system

• Don’t breathe on media