Mass plant propagation by in vitro tissue culture technology
The production protocol is ex-plant in vitro tissue culture technology which is one of the industrial applications of biotechnology where genetically identical plants produced in mass quantity in short time frame from parent plant tissue. The protocol includes several steps, viz, identification of suitable cloning tissue, ex-plant sterilization, micro propagation, true to type conformity, mass propagation, roots initiation, culture screening, de-flasking and acclimatization.
Tissue culture plants sold mainly in modes of as ex-agar and acclimatized plants under contract propagation. Clients for these products are leading breeding companies, commercial cultivators, plant nurseries and retailers. Here the customer may source plants which protected under Plants Breeder Rights (PBR) for in-vitro cloning and for multiplication, hence cannot be sold to third party without prior concern from the owner.
Use of mass propagated plants has brought following benefits.
- Plant lines produced and supplied with year round availability negligent of its season.
- Large scale plant production in small area.
- Tissue cultured plants ‘true to type’ to the mother plant and genetically identical as compared to produced by other means.
- In-vitro plant production carried in sterile environment, reduces disease transmission.
- Capable of producing multiple plants with desired phenotype in mass scale in absence of seeds or necessary pollinators or vegetative materials, hence the technology helps to overcome constraints in conventional agriculture.
- In-vitro plant propagation contributes in preserving germplasm of plant varieties.
- Enable to transport thousands of plants in a small container thus overcoming limitations in logistics.
- Minimizing the impact to the environment by producing plants which all environments friendly and promotes green policy.