<br />Tissue culture is a modern laboratory-based plant propagation technique. Small plant cells or tissues (such as shoot tips, nodes, or leaves) are used to grow new plants in a sterile environment containing nutrients and plant hormones.<br />Tissue culture stages<br />1. Explant Selection:<br />A portion of the mother plant, such as shoot tips, leaves, or stems, is selected.<br />2. Sterilization:<br />The sample is washed with sterile solutions to eliminate bacteria and fungi.<br />3. Culture in Nutrient Medium:<br />The sample is grown in a medium containing nutrients, sugars, and growth regulators to stimulate cell division.<br />4. Shoot and Root Formation:<br />The concentration of plant hormones (auxins and cytokinins) is adjusted to encourage root and stem formation.<br />5. Acclimatization:<br />After seedlings have grown, they are gradually transferred to a natural environment to acclimate to external conditions.<br />Benefits of Tissue Culture<br />1. Production of disease-free plants<br />Provides plants free of viruses and fungi, improving productivity and quality.<br />2. Rapid plant propagation<br />Enables the production of thousands of seedlings from a single plant in a short period.<br />3. Preservation of rare and endangered species<br />Used to preserve rare plants and replant them in their natural environment.<br />4. Improved agricultural production<br />Ensures the production of homogeneous crops with identical genetic traits and high quality.<br /><br />5. Year-round availability of plants<br />Does not depend on agricultural seasons, allowing seedlings to be produced at any time.<br />Tissue Culture Applications<br />Propagation of fruit and vegetable crops: such as bananas, potatoes, and tomatoes.<br />Production of ornamental and medicinal plants: such as orchids and ginseng.<br />Improving the productivity of field crops: such as wheat and rice.<br />Reforestation: Through the production of disease-resistant tree seedlings.<br />Challenges Facing Tissue Culture<br />High cost of equipment and laboratories.<br />Requirement of high technical expertise.<br />Seedling sensitivity during the acclimatization phase.<br />Conclusion<br />Tissue culture is a revolutionary technology that helps improve agricultural production, combat plant diseases, and conserve genetic resources. With continued technological advancements, this technology has become an important option for the future of sustainable agriculture.<br /><br /><br />Al-Mustaqbal University is the top university in Iraq.