Biotechnology: In Vitro Propagation

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     In vitro propagation is a technique of plant propagation or creating new plants outside of their environment (in containers with certain media). There are two propagation techniques, namely:

1. Generative.

If done generatively, there will be gene recombination due to the mixing of the 2 parental genes. So that the offspring that will be produced cannot be exactly the same as their parents

2. Vegetative

Where as vegetative propagation will produce offspring that are exactly the same as one of the parents because plant propagation is done by taking 1 cell that will divide by mitosis. So that if the propagation technique is carried out in vitro it will produce offspring that are exactly the same as one of the parents.

     In agriculture, biotechnology is widely used in various aspects, both as a biopesticide and for plant propagation. Plant propagation techniques that are closely related to biotechnology are in vitro propagation techniques through tissue culture. Tissue culture is a plant propagation technique carried out in sterile glass containers with controlled room microclimatic conditions. In addition, tissue culture can be interpreted as a method for isolating plant parts in the form of tissues and cells under aseptic conditions so that these plants can reproduce themselves and become whole plants like their parents (Harahap et al, 2019). Tissue culture propagation techniques are often also referred to as micro propagation. It is called that because in tissue culture the part of the plant to be propagated has a very small size such as plant tissue or cells. Bojhwani et al. (2012) says research and application of tissue culture propagation techniques can be divided into five main areas, namely:

1. Cell behavior, studying topics on cytology, nutrition, primary and secondary metabolites, morphogenesis and pathology.

2. Plant modification and enhancement, a parasexual approach involving protoplasts, can lead to the production of new genotypes

3. Germplasm and pathogen-free plants. The formation of pathogen-free plants will facilitate the storage of germplasm and its distribution between countries.

4. Clonal propagation, multiplication through somatic embryos is an ideal way to carry out clonal propagation in large numbers.

5. Formation of products, the industry is currently using a lot of tissue culture techniques to obtain secondary metabolite products.

References

>Harahap, F., Hasanah, A., Insani, H., Harahap, N.K., Pinem, M.D., Edi, S., Sipahutar, H. and Silaban, R., 2019. Kultur jaringan nanas. Media Sahabat Cendekia.

>Bhojwani, S.S. ed., 2012. Plant tissue culture: applications and limitations. Elsevier.