ISHS Acta Horticulturae 748: II International Symposium on Acclimatization and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants
MICROPROPAGATION: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE |
| Author: | P.E. Read |
| Keywords: | micropropagation, plant |
| Abstract:
Tremendous progress in plant tissue culture, resulting in great advances in micropropagation, has occurred since Gottlieb Haberlandt’s exploration of the concept presented in his landmark paper published in 1902. Of particular significance has been the evolution of the technology permitting multiplication of valuable plants through micropropagation. Successful micropropagation has been shown to be influenced by a variety of factors that are categorized either as environmental or hormonal/PGR (plant growth regulators) factors. Both PGR and environment contribute to plant tissue culture success, with great progress resulting from the positive results obtained in the 1930s (White, Nobecourt, Gautheret) following the Thimann and Went discovery of indoleacetic acid (auxin) and Skoog’s lab finding chemicals that stimulated cell division (cytokinins) led to an explosion of research in micropropagation. Light, temperature, nutrients, gaseous environment, and chemical and physical treatments have been investigated for both the stock plant (donor plant, mother plant) and the explant/culture environment. Acclimatization and subsequent establishment of micropropagated plants have often been the major obstacles to practical applications of micropropagation, although micropropagation has become a standard method of propagation for many species of economic importance. Environmental and hormonal/PGR effects on micropropagation success have been documented by numerous authors, including Murashige (1974), Debergh and Read (1991) and others. Micropropagation has also become a standard, and oftentimes necessary, component of genetic engineering, biotechnology and related modern scientific endeavors. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and microprojectile bombardment, alone or in combination with each other, are but two methods successfully employed to genetically engineer plants for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Great strides have been made in the last two decades in the use of molecular technologies for identification of genotypes, clones or their ancestors. Scaled-up, mechanized, efficient and integrated systems of micropropagation will allow mass production of important in vitro-derived products such as flavorings, pharmaceuticals and various other health-beneficial plant components. Prospects for use of these and other yet to be developed approaches present exciting possibilities for the expanding field of micropropagation as the XXIst century unfolds. | |
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