artificial plant clones

• • An artificial clone is a clone of a plant produced by a method that is not available to plants normally. E.g. using lab techniques and on a large scale
• Propagation = reproducing/ multiplying plants
• Vegetative propagation = asexual reproduction of plants from shoots, roots or leaves (we can exploit this)
• Explant = Plant material removed from the parent plant – this could be a callous, part of a root or shoot or a smaller piece of tissue or cell.
• Micropropagation = propagation using small samples of plant tissues i.e. a small sample/ small explant.
• Tissue culture = a growth of tissues/cells on an artificial medium e.g. nutrient agar plate
• Micropropagation = propagation using small samples of plant tissues i.e. a small sample/ small explant.
• Tissue culture and micropropagation

  1. Scientists extract a small sample of cells or tissues (the explant)
  2. Often from meristems i.e. from shoot tips, root tips, apical buds.
  3. The sample is sterilised – ethanol, sodium dichloroisocyanurate.
  4. This prevents infection from bacteria, viruses or fungi.
  5. Explant is placed in sterile growth medium to stimulate mitosis (contains auxin).
  6. The sample divides into a callous.
  7. The callus is divided up and placed in separate growth mediums
  8. Once big enough the plants are potted into compost.
  9. Abiotic factors are carefully controlled