What is the Difference Between Micropropagation and Tissue Culture?

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Micropropagation and tissue culture are both artificial, human-engineered techniques used to generate a large number of identical plants. They require a sterile environment and controlled conditions for successful growth. However, there are some differences between the two methods:

  • Tissue Culture: This technique involves growing plant cells, organs, and tissues on a nutrient medium in a sterile environment. It can be used to create a plant directly from a small amount of tissue from an existing plant.
  • Micropropagation: This is a form of tissue culture that specifically focuses on the vegetative propagation of new plants in tissue culture. It requires the use of tissue cultures to create a new plant and takes place after tissue culture. Micropropagation increases the amount of planting material to facilitate distribution and large-scale planting.

In summary, tissue culture is the starting step of micropropagation, where plant cells or organs are grown on a nutrient medium, while micropropagation is the production of thousands of identical plantlets using tissue culture techniques.

Comparative Table: Micropropagation vs Tissue Culture

Micropropagation and tissue culture are both artificial methods used to produce a large number of identical plants under sterile conditions and controlled environments. However, there are differences between the two techniques:

Micropropagation Tissue Culture
Grows plantlets in sterile conditions Grows plant cells, organs, and tissues on a nutrient medium in a sterile environment
Vegetative propagation of new plants in tissue culture A technique in which plant cells, tissues, or organs are grown on a nutrient medium under artificial conditions
Takes place after tissue culture The first step in the process of micropropagation
Used to produce thousands of identical plantlets Used to produce plantlets, which can then be used in micropropagation
Examples of plants grown using micropropagation include banana, jojoba, rubber tree, tomato, etc. Used to create plants with a small amount of tissue from an existing plant

In summary, tissue culture is the process of growing plant cells, organs, or tissues on a nutrient medium under artificial conditions, while micropropagation is the process of growing plantlets in sterile conditions. Micropropagation requires tissue culture as its starting point, as plantlets are derived from the tissue culture process.