Micro-propagation techniques in horticultural crops and various factors affecting it: A review

Abstract

Souvik Kundu*, Pedada Sindhusha and Anil Kumar

A German Botanist, Gottlieb Haberlandt, made the first attempt to use the in vitro method to grow plant tissues and gave the basic concept for the cultivation of plant cells, tissues and organs in vitro culture over 100 years ago. At the initial period plant tissue cultures treated as a research tool and only focused on study the development of small, isolated cells and segments of plant tissues. At the pinnacle of the plant tissue culture period during the 1980s, in a moderately brief timeframe, many commercial laboratories were set up to capitalize by the capability of micropropagation for large scale manufacturing of clonal plants for the horticulture industry. Today plant tissue culture applications incorporate significantly more than clonal propagation. The scope of routine advancements has extended to incorporate somatic embryogenesis, somatic hybridization, and elimination of virus as well as the application of bioreactors for mass propagation. Maybe the best estimation of these tissue culture technologies lies less in their application to mass clonal propagation rather than their role in a plant improvement/modification, molecular biology, bioprocessing and germplasm storage, as well as being a basic research tool. Beside this plant tissue culture technique helps in horticulture to increase crop production. This paper highlights the applications, achievements and the limitation of plant tissue culture on horticultural crops.