micropropagation
Micropropagation, or tissue culture, is the technique of rapidly multiplying plant material by culturing small tissue samples under controlled, sterile conditions to produce large numbers of genetically identical progeny. It is a cornerstone of modern plant biotechnology, enabling the mass propagation of rare, endangered, or economically valuable species that are difficult to reproduce through conventional methods. Beyond clonal production, micropropagation also supports plant conservation efforts, disease-free stock production, and research into plant development and genetic transformation.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-15
Scientists have created the first lab-based method to grow and multiply Hydrocera triflora, a rare aquatic plant found in Southeast Asia that is at risk of extinction. By carefully balancing plant hormones, they achieved near-perfect shoot and root growth, opening the door to large-scale conservation efforts.
Shoot induction reached 96% success using 1.0 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L IBA, producing 3–12 new shoots per cutting.
100% of plantlets successfully developed roots on standard MS medium with 0.2 mg/L IBA, averaging 16.1 roots and 6.3 cm root length per plant.
This is the first ever complete lab propagation protocol established for Hydrocera triflora, a phylogenetically significant endangered aquatic species.
