The in vitro culture of vegetable cells and tissues as alternative in the conservation of plant genetic resources

Abstract

Through in vitro cell and tissue culture technics, we can induce the obtaining and production of somatic embryos, process that has been very successful, both to rescue, and massively multiply various socioeconomically important plants, in addition to supporting various schemes for the genetic improvement of plant species.Somatic embryos obtained in vitro can be encapsulated, and labeled as synthetic or artificial seeds, and their mass production can be scaled using bioreactors. Somatic embryogenesis has been successfully explored in various plant species such as: including woody or forest species, ornamental, solanacea, rubiceae, agaves and now grasses including legumes, and fossil plants such as cycas. In vitro conservation proposes the encapsulation of somatic embryos with the combination of sodium alginate and calcium chloride, incorporating cryoprotective, such as trehalose, glycerol, sorbitol, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) to avoid damage during its freezing with Liquid Nitrogen at -1960 C (cryoconservation), and seek to recover its viability successfully after storage. Other conservation strategies that have been explored using as explants: corms, apex’s and stem buds, have been dehydration, tissue vitrification, or minimal growth by adding growth inhibitors, as well as light and temperature control.