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Micropropagation pp 363–388Cite as

Automation

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Abstract

Tissue culture, or micropropagation, is being used for the vegetative multiplication of millions of superior plants annually for horticulture and forestry. Tissue culture is frequently more expensive than other forms of propagation using cuttings or seed (Brown & Sommer, 1982) because it is labor intensive and more specialized. This can be justified when conventional methods do not work or the end product is valuable. For ornamentals and herbaceous species the pricing per plantlet varied between US$.32 and $1.15 (1989 price list from commercial laboratory for 50 clones from 17 species) while for forest trees the price per plantlet varied between US$.38 and $0.48 (Smith, 1986, adjusted for inflation and converted from NZ$ to 1990 US$). For broccoli (Brassica oleracea), where rooting was done in vitro, approximately 75% of the cost was for in vitro stages and 25% for ex vitro stages (Anderson & Meagher, 1977). For radiata pine (Pinus radiata), where rooting was done ex vitro, approximately 40% of the cost was for in vitro stages, 40% for ex vitro stages, and 20% for growing on in the nursery (Smith, 1986; J. Gleed & B. Nairn, personal communication). Many ornamentals and herbaceous crops may fit into the in vitro rooting category while woody plants and forest trees may fit into the ex vitro category. There are, of course, exceptions to both scenarios. The aim of automation is to reduce the cost per plantlet by reducing the labor input.

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Authors
  1. J. Aitken-Christie
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, State University of Gent, Belgium

    P. C. Debergh

  2. United State Department of Agriculture (ARS), Beltsville, Maryland, USA

    R. H. Zimmerman

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© 1991 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Aitken-Christie, J. (1991). Automation. In: Debergh, P.C., Zimmerman, R.H. (eds) Micropropagation. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2075-0_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2075-0_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-0819-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-2075-0

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