In Vitro Lab
by Prof. Stefaan Werbrouck
About the Course
Plant tissue Culture is the aseptic and controlled culture of plant parts such as isolated organs, tissues, embryos, ovaria,… on an artificial medium in a closed recipient. During the classical plant breeding process or during the vegetative propagation of a large number of crops, there is an “in vitro” phase. Also for genetic modification of a crop, knowledge about tissue culture is essential. Do we want the in vitro plant or plant tissue to produce roots, callus or new shoots? Should the plant stay short or should it grow elongated? How can we influence its senescence? This course wants to provide insight in how we control a plant or its tissue in vitro, what’s the meaning for practice and what are the problems? A number of basic skills are gained in a well-equipped laboratory. Making complex media, initiation in vitro, in vitro multiplication, acclimatization.
Lecturers
Prof. Stefaan Werbrouck
Contents
THEORY:
historic overview; botanical base, media, recipients, machines and their use, applications (meristem culture, callus culture, cell suspensions, protoplast culture, induction of new meristems, somatic embryogenesis, synthetic seeds, induction of haploids), problems (contamination, hyperhydricity, browning, genetic variation), lab design, commercialization.
EXERCICES:
basic techniques for medium preparation, sterile manipulation, initiation by seed and axillary meristems, controlling with plant hormones. Then it’s time for own in vitro projects.
FINAL COMPETENCES:
1 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To define plant tissue culture terminology
2 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To discuss and explaining in vitro techniques for initiation, propagation, rooting, acclimatisation and breeding
3 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To calculate an in vitro medium
4 SKILLS: To apply techniques to control growth or induction of axillary and adventitious meristems
5 SKILLS: To analyse in vitro problems and bottlenecks and to propose solutions
6 SKILLS: To substantiate and to critically approach technical possibilities
7 ATTITUDES: To work with precision and sense for detail