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Impact of chitosan on plant tissue culture: recent applications

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Abstract

Chitosan is a very versatile biomaterial with countless applications in different fields. Due to its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, the use of chitosan is associated with sustainable practices. When applied to plants, in an agricultural context, chitosan induces defense mechanisms, stress resistance, and increased productivity and it has proven to be a feasible alternative to harmful agrochemicals. For in vitro plant culture, chitosan has been also applied to crops and other economically important species, with promising results. In this review, we discuss the recent applications of chitosan on plant tissue culture. Chitosan has been mainly used for the improvement of several growth parameters, but it has been also applied to enhance in vitro seed germination and accumulation of secondary metabolites. The plant material used, the concentrations and forms of chitosan employed, and the influence of chitosan on other plant parameters during in vitro culture are revised. We anticipate that chitosan applications will increase in a near future because of its potential and the increasing demand for more eco-friendly procedures.

Key message

The review presents an overview of the recent applications of chitosan in plant tissue culture, including growth improvement, seed germination, and elicitation of secondary metabolites. Moreover, the potential mechanisms of action of chitosan are discussed.

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Abbreviations

BA:

6-Benzyladenine

DA:

Degree of acetylation

DD:

Degree of deacetylation

DP:

Degree of polymerization

GA:

Gibberellic acid

IAA:

Indole-3-acetic acid

IBA:

Indole-3-butyric acid

Kin:

Kinetin

KN:

Knudson C medium

MS:

Murashige and Skoog medium

NAA:

α-naphthaleneacetic acid

PGR:

Plant growth regulator

TDZ:

Thidiazuron

TIS:

Temporary immersion system

VW:

Vacin and Went (1949) medium

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

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Funding

This research was funded by the project INTERREG–MD.NET: When Brand Meets Peoples and by National Funds through FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project UIDB/05183/2020.

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Correspondence to A. Romano.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by Ming-Tsair Chan.

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Coelho, N., Romano, A. Impact of chitosan on plant tissue culture: recent applications. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 148, 1–13 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-021-02156-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-021-02156-6

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