The Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture is located at the Union Agricultural Station and is a sub-unit of the Propagation Division. Plant Tissue Culture is a collective term referring to procedures used to maintain and grow plant cells and organs in vitro (in glass) under aseptic (free from mico-organisms) conditions.

It is a tool used by biotechnologists, chemists, biologits, pathologists and many other scientists in the following applications:

• Plant Propagation

• Secondary metabolite production

• Genetic engineering

• Germplasm conservation

• Research

Objectives

The principal objective of the Tissue Culture Unit is to strengthen the propagation capability of the Ministry of Agriculture and the wider agricultural sector through micro-propagation and germplasm maintenance of species of economic and ecological importance.

Procedures Conducted at the Lab

Parent Plant Selection and preparation -  

The parent plant is the material from which plant parts will be removed to start the cultures.

Establishment of Cultures -

Small plant parts (explants) are placed in synthetic growth medium under aseptic conditions.

Subculturing -

Explants previously established in culture are transferred from one medium or container to another into fresh medium. Subculturing is done for multiplication in vitro germplasm conservation or plantlet.