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Plant tissue usually goes through several distinct stages in the tissue culture lab:
1. The first stage is normally when there is rapid vegetative growth. The aim of this stage is to increase the amount of tissue from which plants can be developed.
2. The next stage is usually to differentiate the parts of the plant (i.e. stimulate roots etc).
3. The final stage is usually a conditioning stage (i.e. hardening up or bringing the tissue into a condition which is better able to be removed from the tissue culture environment.
Each stage will usually require some changes in the growing environment (e.g. a different growing media, light conditions, temperature etc.)
Course Content and Structure
There are 9 lessons in this course:
- Introduction including a review of basic plant nutrition.
- Plant Nutrients.
- The Laboratory
- Micropropagation Techniques
- Plant Hormones
- The Tissue Culture Environment
- Commercial Applications
- Taking Plants out of Culture
- Culture of Selected Species
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Course Duration: 100 hours
What Do You Need to Do this Course?
If you are passionately interested in tissue culture, you can do this course. You do not need to have access to a tissue culture laboratory; but if you do, it can be useful.
Some people do this course in preparation for setting up a tissue culture laboratory, or seeking work in this field. Others undertake the course purely out of an academic interest in the subject. Whether your reason is one of these things, or something else does not matter. As long as you have a thirst for learning about tissue culture, this course can be undertaken successfully anywhere and at any time.
What Makes up a Tissue Culture Laboratory?
Three distinct areas are required in any tissue culture laboratory, no matter how small or large:
1. The Preparation Area
Should include; a sink with hot & cold water, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a stove/ bunsen burner or something to heat the media, and easy to clean benches to work on.
2. The Transfer Chamber
This is a sterile (100% clean) box or hood where plant tissue can be placed into the culture medium, divided & transplanted from one container to another etc. A continuous flow of air through the cabinet is provided in one direction, to pick up and carry away any disease organisms before they can settle on the plants being cultured.
3. The Culture Growing Area
A sealed, warm, clean, well lit compartment or room is used to hold the containers in which the cultures grow.
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