Tissue Culture Propagation: The Future of Plant Multiplication

Did you know there is a way to grow hundreds of identical plants from a single cell? Micropropagation is a revolutionary technique that allows commercial and hobby growers to propagate plants from small samples of plant tissue in a sterile environment, giving them new and unprecedented possibilities. Let’s look at how this method works and how you can try it at home.

What is propagation using tissue cultures?

Propagation using tissue cultures involves growing plants from small samples of their tissues in a sterile environment. The process begins with an explant, a small piece of plant tissue taken from the mother plant. The explant is placed into a sterile container filled with a gel nutrient medium enriched with vitamins and hormones that promote plant growth. Once the plant tissues are stored this way, they can be divided into hundreds or even thousands of genetically identical clones.

This process is remarkable for its flexibility. Tissue can remain in a sterile environment for a long time until activated by specific hormones to develop roots and shoots, allowing long-term archiving of plant genes. Thanks to sterilization, a tissue sample can be freed of all pathogens, pests and diseases, and in some cases it can be the only way to rid plants of viral infections such as hop latent viroid (HpLVd).

How do tissue cultures differ from seeds and cuttings?

Growers traditionally rely on seeds or cuttings for plant propagation. These methods are effective but have their limitations:

Seeds: The main drawback of growing from seeds is unpredictable results. Seeds do not always have 100% germination and some plants may suffer unwanted genetic mutations. For dioecious species, unwanted male plants can be a problem. Finally, seeds do not guarantee uniformity of yield and plants from the same parents will show varying differences in appearance and growth.

Cuttings: Propagation by cuttings is faster and cloned plants are identical to the mother plants. The downside of cuttings is the relatively high risk of transmitting diseases and pests from the parent plant to the clones. Cloning also requires consistent maintenance of mother plants, which is labor- and space-intensive.

Learn more about cuttings in the article on our blog Cuttings: Plant cloning step by step.

Micropropagation of tissue cultures addresses most of the issues associated with growing plants from seeds or cuttings. The sterile environment eliminates pests and diseases and, in some cases, even genetic infections. Plants are genetically identical and tissue cultures can be stored in small containers that take up significantly less space and require less care than mother plants. Tissue cultures enable growers to produce thousands of plants from a single explant in a short time, which is invaluable especially for commercial large-scale growers. Finally, micropropagation can “reset” a plant’s biological clock and rejuvenate old or rare specimens. This method can also be used to germinate seeds that are decades old and recover lost genetic material.

Equipment for tissue cultures for commercial and home growers

For growers who want to try micropropagation of tissue cultures, we offer the revolutionary Athena Tissue Culture Kit. This set contains all the equipment and procedures you will need whether you are a hobby grower or a professional. Athena Tissue Culture Kit is a unique system that allows you to preserve rare varieties, multiply plants faster and rid them of pests and diseases.

What does the Athena Tissue Culture Kit contain

• Flow Hood: A mobile laboratory provides a large workspace (0.7 m³) with sterile airflow (average speed 0.5–0.9 m/s) and powerful H13 HEPA filters.
• Autoclave: A simplified sterilization process with a single preset setting.
• Pre-prepared culture media: Includes the "Roots" formula for callus formation and "Shoots" for tissue growth.
• Toolbox: A complete set of tools, including a detailed step-by-step procedure.

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