High-Tech and Micropropagation I

Presented here is another classic from this series and deals with general aspects of micropropagation of plants for commercial exploitation. It includes chapters on setting up a commercial laboratory, meristem culture, somatic embryogenesis, factors affecting micropropagation, disposable vessels, vitrification, acclimatization, induction of rooting, artificial substrates, cryopreservation and artificial seed. Special emphasis is given on modern approaches and developing technologies such as automation and bioreactors, robots in transplanting, artificial intelligence, information management and computerized greenhouses for en masse commercial production of plants.

Section I General Aspects, Factors Affecting Micropropagation, Meristem Culture, Somatic Embryogenesis, Grafting, Vitrification, Acclimatization, Disposable Culture Vessels.- I.1 Automated Micropropagation for en masse Production of Plants.- 1 General Account.- 2 Problems and Factors Affecting Micropropagation.- 3 Automation - Robots, Microcomputers, and Artificial Intelligence.- 4 Summary and Conclusions.- References.- I.2 Setting Up a Commercial Micropropagation Laboratory (With 8 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Planning Phase.- 3 Decision on Laboratory Specification.- 4 The Micropropagation and Ancillary Facilities.- 5 Research and Development and Quality Assurance.- 6 Trends in the Micropropagation Industry.- 7 Conclusions.- References.- I.3 Micropropagation Through Meristem Culture (With 1 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Shoot Meristem Culture.- 3 Factors Influencing Disease-Elimination.- 4 In Vitro Clonal Propagation of Disease Eliminated Plants.- 5 Long-Term Storage.- 6 Implications in Commercial Propagation.- References.- I.4 Micropropagation Through Somatic Embryogenesis in Conifers (With 7 Figures).- 1 General Account.- 2 Plant Regeneration.- 3 Conclusions.- References.- I.5 Graft Compatibilities in Vitro (With 9 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 In Vitro Studies of Graft Compatibility-Incompatibility.- 3 Models for Graft Compatibility-Incompatibility.- 4 Future Prospects.- References.- I.6 In Vitro Induction of Flowering and Its Relevance to Micropropagation (With 2 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Existence of Florigen? Evidence Provided by in Vitro Studies.- 3 Studies Concerned with Flower Inhibitors.- 4 Flowering as a Multi-Component System: Evidence Provided by in Vitro Studies.- 5 Hormones and in Vitro Flowering.- 6 Nonhormonal Substances and in Vitro Flowering.- 7 Conclusions.- References.- I.7 Vitrification in Micropropagation.- 1 Definition.- 2 Morphological, Anatomical, Mechanical and Biochemical Characteristics.- 3 External and Internal Factors Inducing Vitrification.- 4 Remedies.- 5 Disadvantages.- 6 Beneficial Management.- 7 Conclusions and Prospects.- References.- I.8 Acclimatization of Micropropagated Plants (With 7 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Features of Tissue Culture Environment.- 3 Heterotrophy, Mixotrophy, and Autotrophy.- 4 Increasing Percentage Survival and Growth Rate.- 5 Computer-Controlled Acclimatization Unit.- 6 Concluding Remarks.- References.- I.9 The Effect of the Nature and Origin of Explants on Micropropagation (With 9 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 What Is Meant by the Nature and Origin of Explants?.- 3 Examples of Explant Reaction.- 4 Summary.- References.- I.10 Problems with Explant Exudation in Micropropagation (With 1 Figure).- 1 General Account.- 2 Phenolic Compounds.- 3 Oxidation of Phenolics.- 4 Conclusions.- References.- I.11 Woody Plant Micropropagation with Cytokinins (With 4 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Comparative Physiology.- 3 Cytokinin Biology.- 4 Discussion.- References.- I.12 The Effect of the Culture Vessel on Micropropagation (With 4 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Moisture Conductance.- 3 Discussion.- 4 Summary and Conclusion.- References.- I.13 Disposable Film Culture Vessels (With 17 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Properties of Fluorocarbon Polymer Films.- 3 Box-Shaped Vessel, the “Culture Pack”.- 4 Envelope-Shaped Vessel, the “Culture Bag”.- 5 Conclusions.- References.- Section II Rooting, Artificial Substrates, Autotrophic Micropropagation, Nursery Planting.- II.1 Rooting of in Vitro Cuttings (With 4 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Stages of Root Ontogenesis.- 3 Rooting Correlations: Influence of Lateral Organs.- 4 Influence of Juvenility.- 5 Basal Medium and Carbohydrate Nutrition.- 6 Environmental Influences.- 7 Relations Between Rhizogenesis, Auxins, Peroxidases, Phenols, and Ethylene.- 8 Relations Between Ontogenetic States and Rooting Markers.- 9 Conclusion.- References.- II.2 Rooting of in Vitro-Produced Shoots in Nonsterile - an Inexpensive and Efficient Technique for en masse Micropropagation (With 2 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Method and Observations.- 3 Protocol for Sand Rooting.- 4 Summary and Conclusions.- References.- II.3 Use of Artificial Substrates for in Vitro Propagation (With 6 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Rhizogenesis and Acclimatization.- 3 Use of Artificial Substrates for in Vitro Micrografting.- 4 Use of Artificial Substrates in a Mixed Culture: Plant and Microorganisms.- 5 Qualities Needed in an Ideal Artificial Substrate.- 6 Summary and Conclusion.- References.- II.4 Rockwool as a Substrate for Greenhouse Crops (With 21 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Rockwool.- 3 Growing Systems.- 4 Root Zone Temperature.- 5 Water Quality.- 6 Water Supply.- 7 Other Rockwool Systems.- 8 pH.- 9 Electrical Conductivity.- 10 Nutrients.- 11 Handling of Plant Nutrition.- 12 Conclusions.- References.- II.5 Autotrophic Micropropagation (With 20 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Micropropagation Process and Reasons for High Production Cost in the Conventional Micropropagation Method.- 3 Carbon Sources for Hetero- and Autotrophic Growth.- 4 Fundamental Photosynthetic Characteristics of C3 plants.- 5 Number of Gas Changes of the Vessel per Hour.- 6 Diurnal Changes in CO2 Concentration Inside the Tissue Culture Vessel.- 7 Interpretation of the Results of Low CO2 Concentration in the Culture Vessel During the Photoperiod.- 8 Growth of Plantlets in Vitro Under Different Sugar Concentration, CO2 Concentration, and PPF Conditions.- 9 Other Physical Environmental Factors Affecting the Autoor Mixotrophic Growth of Plantlets in Vitro.- 10 Use of a Gas-Permeable, Clear Plastic Film as a Vessel Closure.- 11 An Autotrophic Micropropagation System.- 12 A Novel Approach to Auto- or Mixotrophic Micropropagation.- 13 Increase of Production Costs for Lighting, Cooling, and CO2 Enrichment.- 14 Concluding Remarks.- References.- II.6 In Vitro Nursery System for Vegetable Crops - Tomato and Melon (With 9 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Breeding Programs and Their Results.- 3 Tissue Culture Propagation of Selected Plants.- 4 Culture of in Vitro-Propagated Plants.- 5 Conclusions.- References.- Section III Storage/Cryopreservation of Cultures, Quiescent Somatic Embryos, Artificial Seed.- III.1 Storage and Cryopreservation of in Vitro Cultures (With 7 Figures).- 1 General Account.- 2 Nonfrozen Storage.- 3 Cryopreservation (196°C) of Cultures.- 4 Conclusions.- References.- III.2 Quiescence and Dormancy in Somatic Embryos (With 3 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Background and Terminology.- 3 Quiescence.- 4 Dormancy.- 5 Conclusions.- References.- III.3 Artificial Seeds - Encapsulated Somatic Embryos (With 9 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Artificial Seed Concepts.- 3 Artificial Seed Coating.- 4 Somatic Embryogeny.- 5 Conclusions.- References.- Section IV Automation, Artificial Intelligence, Robots in Transplanting, Information Management, Bioreactors, Computerized Greenhouses.- IV. 1 Automated Systems.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Automated Systems in Plant Tissue Culture.- 3 Automated Plant Culture System Features.- 4 Remarks on the APCS.- 5 Future of the APCS.- References.- IV.2 Artificial Intelligence Technology to Control Plant Environments (With 15 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Concept of Control Logic.- 3 Outline of Control Logic.- 4 Rule Base and Performance of the Inference Engine.- 5 Measuring Systems for Controlling Plant Environment.- 6 Experiments of Controlling Plant Environment by Means of the A1 Technique.- 7 Conclusions.- References.- IV.3 Robots in Transplanting (With 15 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Simulation of the Transplanting Task.- 3 Simulation Results.- 4 Transplanting Validation Tests.- 5 Machine Vision and Image Processing.- 6 Summary and Conclusion.- References.- IV.4 Computing and Information Management in Micropropagation (With 5 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Basic Concepts.- 3 The Micropropagation Firm as a System.- 4 The Planning Phase.- 5 Production Monitoring and Control.- 6 Planning-Production Feedback Mechanism.- 7 Technical Aspects of Computing and Information Management.- 8 The Micropropagation Firm as a Whole - Prospects of Information Management.- 9 Summary.- References.- IV.5 Mass Propagation of Plants Through Shakeand Bioreactor-Culture Techniques (With 19 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Present in Vitro Propagation Techniques.- 3 Present State of Development of Mass Propagation Techniques.- 4 Schematic Outline of Mass Propagation of Plants Using Shake- and Bioreactor-Culture Techniques.- 5 Characteristics of Cultures in the Bioreactor.- 6 Scale-Up Technique.- 7 Shake- and Bioreactor-Culture Techniques Applied to Various Plants.- 8 Concluding Remarks.- References.- IV.6 Climate Control of Greenhouses and Crop Growth (With 8 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 A Greenhouse as a Production Facility.- 3 Greenhouse Climate Control.- 4 Summary and Conclusions.- References.- IV.7 Computer-Controlled Greenhouses in Japan (With 4 Figures).- 1 Introduction.- 2 Examples of Using a Microcomputer for Greenhouse Control.- 3 Examples of Using a General-Purpose Microcomputer.- 4 Conclusion.- References.