Project

A tissue culture platform fostering plant biotechnological innovation and application

Code
bof/baf/4y/2024/01/197
Duration
01 January 2024 → 31 December 2025
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Plant cell and molecular biology
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Agricultural plant breeding and biotechnology
    • Biotechnology for agricultural, forestry, fisheries and allied sciences not elsewhere classified
    • Horticultural crop production
Keywords
micropropagation microspores regeneration doubled haploid plant tissue culture breeding protoplast somatic embryogenesis
 
Project description

The in vitro cultivation of plants is instrumental in the clonal propagation of elite varieties and the development of genetically modified plant material for crop breeding and the creation of genetically enhanced varieties. The success of these techniques is highly dependent on plant species and genotype, which restricts their application to a select group of crops. Despite these limitations, the significant advantages of in vitro cultivation continue to motivate researchers and industry professionals to advance these methods. The development of a successful protocol for in vitro cultivation is mainly empirical, rendering its success unpredictable. The regeneration of plant tissue and cells in vitro can be enhanced by applying genes that stimulate cell division, organogenesis, and embryogenesis. Horticell pioneers innovations in plant regeneration in vitro, including the induction of adventitious roots and shoots, as well as the stimulation of somatic embryogenesis starting from microspores and protoplasts. Our innovative steps include selecting active cells using advanced cell sorting equipment. Additionally, we are developing techniques to utilize bioprinting technology to organize plant cells into specific matrices and combinations, thereby enhancing regeneration.