question_answer

                                              Pranav and his group performed a tissue culture experiment by culturing explants in in vitro conditions. The plants thus obtained were all genetically identical to the parent plant.

(i) State the procedure by which they were cultured?

(ii) Also, tell which property of cell is being exploited here?

(iii) What values are shown by Pranav and his group?

Answer:

(i) The procedure followed here to obtain many plants in vitro is micropropagation. In this, explants are cultured in petri dish/test tube on sterile nutrient medium containing sugar, inorganic salts, vitamins, amino acids, agar and growth regulators. The used culture medium is replaced regularly with fresh medium to provide proper nutrition to the growing plantlets. The plantlets thus, obtained are morphologically and genetically similar to their parent plant. Such plants are known as somaclones.

(ii) This capacity of a cell/explant to generate whole plant is called totipotency.

(iii) Pranav and his group are curious and intelligent.