Clone Crop Plants in Tissue Culture

It's relatively straightforward to clone plants, including plants intended to be used as crops. Using a technique called micropropagation, exact genetic copies of plants can be produced, with the advantage of desirable trait selection. For example, plants with particularly good fruit can be selected for cloning. Micropropagation requires only the most basic equipment, most of which can be ordered cheaply online.

Steps

  1. Select a plant that exhibits the desired trait, for example, well developed flowers, fruits, or leaf size.
  2. Scrape a tissue sample from the parent plant using a scalpel.
  3. Place the tissue samples into a Petri dish or dishes containing prepared agar growth medium.
  4. Store the dishes in a cool, dry area with access to sunlight while the plantlets develop. The plant cells will differentiate by themselves, making this a much simpler cloning technique that those used to clone animals.
  5. Transplant the plantlets into compost. The compost should not be too wet or too dry. Ensure that you leave some space for growth between each little plant.
  6. When the plants have reached a good size they can either be planted out, or else transplanted into larger trays to allow them to develop into a harvestable crop.

Tips

  • Ensure that the laboratory equipment has been set up in preparation for tissue culturing. This includes mixing and autoclaving the agar, pouring it into dishes and allowing it to set. Compost trays should also be set up when it is time to transplant the plantlets.
  • Make sure you select the correct agar when ordering. If in doubt, do an internet search for agar suppliers and do not be afraid to contact them for advice. The agar can either be pre-mixed with the correct nutrients and auxins, or these can be added separately.

Warnings

  • Make sure you follow correct aseptic procedures so that fungi, or other pathogens, do not develop in your Petri dishes.

References

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Clone_Crop_Plants_in_Tissue_Culture&oldid=322021"