Cloning Plants & Tissue Culture

• What is an explant?

  A small piece of plant that can develop into a clone
• Give two benefits of cloning via cuttings rather than micropropagation?

  Cuttings is quicker

  Cuttings is cheaper

  Cuttings requires less technical expertise/equipment
• Plants can be cloned by micropropagation. 

  Suggest how the tissue samples are removed and transferred to the agar medium?

  cut the plant with a) scalpel / razor / scissors / knife etc

  (transfer with) tweezers / forceps etc
• Plants can be cloned by micropropagation. Nutrients are added to the agar medium to help plant growth.

  Give two nutrients that should be added to the agar medium. Explain how each nutrient helps plant growth?

  nitrates for amino acids / proteins / DNA / genetic material etc

  phosphates for DNA / genetic material / ATP / cell membranes etc

  glucose/sucrose for energy/ATP/respiration

  magnesium for chlorophyll/chloroplasts
• Suggest three precautions/conditions needed to ensure healthy growth of the small plants?

  sterile/aseptic conditions 

  temperature 

  light

  humidity

  growth hormones
• Describe the process of micropropagation to clone plants.

  Cut a small piece of plant tissue, an explant, from the tips of stems, and sterilise them to remove microorganisms. Place the explants in a petri dish that contains agar jelly with growth hormones and nutrients like glucose and mineral ions. Once they grow a bit into calluses, transfer them to soil so they can grow into plantlets. Finally transfer them to their own pot. Ensure that the whole process is done at a reasonable temperature and that the plants get enough light and water