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Development and application of photoautotrophic micropropagation plant system

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Abstract

Research has revealed that most chlorophyllous explants/plants in vitro have the ability to grow photoautotrophically (without sugar in the culture medium), and that the low or negative net photosynthetic rate of plants in vitro is not due to poor photosynthetic ability, but to the low CO2 concentration in the air-tight culture vessel during the photoperiod. Moreover, numerous studies have been conducted on improving the in vitro environment and investigating its effects on growth and development of cultures/plantlets on nearly 50 species since the concept of photoautotrophic micropropagation was developed more than two decades ago. These studies indicate that the photoautotrophic growth in vitro of many plant species can be significantly promoted by increasing the CO2 concentration and light intensity in the vessel, by decreasing the relative humidity in the vessel, and by using a fibrous or porous supporting material with high air porosity instead of gelling agents such as agar. This paper reviews the development and characteristics of photoautotrophic micropropagation systems and the effects of environmental conditions on the growth and development of the plantlets. The commercial applications and the perspective of photoautotrophic micropropagation systems are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Science, Capital Normal University, No. 105 North Xisanhuan Road, 100048, Beijing, China

    Yulan Xiao

  2. Texas AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, Texas A&M System, 1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX, 79927, USA

    Genhua Niu

  3. Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa city, Chiba, 277-0822, Japan

    Toyoki Kozai

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  1. Yulan Xiao
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  2. Genhua Niu
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Correspondence to Yulan Xiao.

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Xiao, Y., Niu, G. & Kozai, T. Development and application of photoautotrophic micropropagation plant system. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 105, 149–158 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9863-9

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