In Vitro P:Ropagation and Somatic Embryogenesis of Morussp.

Abstract

In modern agriculture, only about 160 plants are extensively cultivated. Many of these are reaching the limits of their improvement by traditional methods. Thus one can no longer expect the gains generated by the green revolution. The next agriculture revolution is near and will be based to a large extent on biotechnology. Tissue culture technology will play a pivotal role, as it is an important vehicle for carrying out micropropagation system, parasexual hybridization and genetic engineering. Thus the prospects of this decade are particularly exciting! The term "plant tissue culture" is commonly used to describe the in vitro and aseptic cultivation of any plant part on a nutrient medium. Practically plant tissue culture technology is based on three fundamental objectives: First, the plant part or explant must be isolated from the plant body, this effectively disrupts the cellular, tissue, and /or organ interactions that may occur in the intact plant. Second, the explant must be maintained in a controlled and preferably defined midia. Both the physical and chemical composition of the medium should effectively control the expression of any genotypic or phenotypic potential in the cultured plant part. Third, aseptic and controlled environmental conditions (light, humidity and temperature) must be maintained. The term "shoot culture" describes rootless sprouts growing on agar media. Shoot cultures are being widely used for micropropagation of ferns, 1 trees, and ornamentals for conservation of genotypically defined stocks, and as experimental material in biochemical, physiological, and genetic investigations. The use of in vitro techniques for clonal or asexual mass propagation is the most advanced application of plant tissue culture. Rapid asexual multiplication can be achieved by (1) enhancing axillary bud breaking, (2) production of adventitious buds and (3) somatic embryogenesis.------