PLANT MICROPROPAGATION

Biotechnology Plant Micropropagation

Plant tissue culture is a collection of techniques used to maintain or grow plant cells, tissues, or organs under sterile conditions on a nutrient culture medium of known composition.

It is widely used to produce clones of a plant in a method known as micropropagation. This is a nature process and has no relationship to GMO genetic manipulation. 

Plant Micropropagation produce healthier seeds with higher resistance to pests and climate stress, several methods can be utilized:

Somatic Embryogenesis

This technique involves the production of plants from somatic or non-reproductive cells, which can be genetically modified or selected for disease and stress resistance traits before being induced to form embryos. This can lead to the generation of seeds with enhanced traits.

Haploid and Doubled Haploid Production

Haploid cells contain half the usual number of chromosomes and can be produced through tissue culture. By doubling the chromosome number of these cells, breeders can produce homozygous plants much more quickly than through traditional breeding, allowing for the fast incorporation of desired traits such as pest resistance.

 Protoplast Fusion

In this method, the cell walls of two different plant cells are dissolved, and the resulting protoplasts can be fused to combine the traits of both parent plants. This can be used to create hybrid plants with increased vigour and resilience to environmental stressors.

Genetic Transformation

Genes that confer resistance to pests or tolerance to climate stress can be inserted directly into plant cells in culture. Once these transformed cells are regenerated into plants and produce seeds, the resulting progeny will inherit these beneficial traits.

 In Vitro Selection

Plant cells or tissues are exposed to stress agents or pathogens in culture, and only those that exhibit resistance are allowed to regenerate into whole plants. The seeds produced from these plants will have a greater resistance to the specific stress or pest.

These methods, often combined with conventional breeding techniques, enable the development of plant varieties that are better equipped to handle the challenges posed by a changing climate and increased pest pressures.

Dr Sylvia Adjoa Mitchell, Senior Lecturer & ECO Park Consultant

Dr Mitchell is Head of the Medicinal Plant Biotechnology Research Group at the University of the West Indies, a group she initiated in 1999. She is trained in various aspects of biotechnology commercialization and has over 32 years’ experience with plant tissue cultures including seven years at the Scientific Research Council.

Dr Mitchell supervises research students in biotechnologies related to plant propagation, medicine, and nutraceuticals. Through her time at UWI, she has supervised over 38 undergraduate, master’s and PhD students in the field of biotechnology.

Her research includes the development of medicinal plant monographs, in vitro physiology, on-farm research, plant tissue culture (somatic embryogenesis and micropropagation) protocol development, soil ameliorants (biochar) and product development.

Some of the plants that have been studied include ackee, arrowroot, bamboo, chinny root, fever grass, ginger, guinea hen weed, neem, pineapple, sarsaparilla, sweet potato, turmeric, and yam. Thousands of farmers and many communities across Jamaica have been directly impacted by training or by the provision of planting material.

Publications include 27 refereed articles, an e-book, book chapters, conference papers, technical reports, and newspaper and magazine articles.

Sylvia is the lead biotechnologist Consultant for the ECO Park Project and is focused on cloning for more resilient seeds, the use of bamboo biochar and activated charcoal for soil amendments, water filtration and extraction of heavy metal from soil and water.

Dr Mitchell is the chair of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) Bamboo Committee, a Board member of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) and serves as the co-editor of the online newsletter of the Society for In Vitro Biology.

Awards include UTECH award for contributions to Pharmacy in 2010, the Best Paper award in 2016 from UWI for the paper entitled ‘TRAMIL ethnomedicinal survey of Jamaica’, Appreciation Award from the BSJ for being part of the Technical Committee of the Year for Bamboo Standards in 2018, SIVB distinguished service award in 2015 and in February 2019 was named as a UWI graduate celebrated as one of the 70+ UWI Women of Distinction recognized for their outstanding achievements.