1. Why Use Specialized Techniques?
Standard micropropagation is ideal for clonal multiplication. However, some goals—like genetic modification, cell fusion, or rescuing rare plants—require more sophisticated methods.
These include:
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Regeneration from callus or protoplasts
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Introduction of foreign genes
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Formation of embryos from somatic tissue
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Creating hybrids between species
These methods play a central role in crop improvement, disease resistance research, and biopharmaceutical production.
📌 Biotechnological Approaches in Plant Science
2. Categories of Advanced Methods
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Callus Culture | Growth of undifferentiated cells, often used in selection or transformation |
| Somatic Embryogenesis | Embryos develop from non-germline (somatic) cells |
| Organogenesis | Direct development of organs from callus or explants |
| Protoplast Culture | Culture of plant cells without walls, enabling fusion or gene editing |
| Genetic Transformation | Introduction of new genes into plant genomes |
3. Benefits
| Benefit | Application |
|---|---|
| Mass propagation of difficult-to-root species | Somatic embryogenesis |
| Screening for mutations or chemical resistance | Callus culture |
| Developing new hybrids | Protoplast fusion |
| Creating transgenic plants | Genetic transformation |
4. Challenges and Requirements
These methods are not plug-and-play. They require:
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Species-specific protocols
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High technical skill
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Precise hormone regulation
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Longer development periods
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Specialized tools (e.g., centrifuge, PEG for fusion, gene guns)
Despite the complexity, they’re critical in next-generation plant science.
📌 Callus and Protoplast Culture Review
5. Real-World Examples
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Somatic embryogenesis has been used in:
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Coffea arabica, Theobroma cacao, Daucus carota
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Protoplast fusion used to create disease-resistant Brassica hybrids
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Genetic transformation applied to produce virus-resistant papaya, herbicide-resistant soybean, and golden rice
These applications have revolutionized commercial agriculture and food security.