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Subject

Tissue Culture for Disease Elimination

Description

Eight month-old grape plants grown from microshoot tips in test tubes.

Micro-shoot tip tissue culture is the method of choice to eliminate virus(es) and other pathogens from many plant species. The micro-shoot tip culture technique has the advantage of regenerating a single plant from a single, minuscule (approximately 0.5 mm) shoot. The combination of low hormone levels combined with a minimum time in culture reduces the chance of mutation and regeneration of an off-type plant. At the same time, many pathogens, including viruses, are eliminated by this technique.

Rapidly growing shoots with terminal buds are preferred sources of plant tissue. The shoot tips are cleaned and surface sterilized to prepare for the aseptic excision under a transfer hood. The youngest cells (meristem) are removed and placed into test tubes with agar media containing precise levels of salts and hormones. Incubation in a growth chamber under controlled conditions until roots and shoots have developed is essential. After 3 to 9 weeks, the plants may be ready to be transplanted into soil and introduced to greenhouse conditions. After further growth and acclimation, they may be planted outdoors.

People

Susan T. Sim

Links

Video Link: Silverlight is a powerful development tool for creating engaging, interactive user experiences for Web and mobile applications. Silverlight is a free plug-in, powered by the .NET framework and compatible with multiple browsers, devices and operating systems, bringing a new level of interactivity wherever the Web works. The speaker and presentation may be viewed in video on the following link:

"Virus Elimination From Grape Selections Using Tissue Culture At Foundation Plant Services, University of California, Davis." - Sue Sim, Staff Research Associate at Foundation Plant Services, UC Davis. Presented on October 11, 2012 at the 17th Congress of the International Council for the Study of Virus and Virus-like Diseases of the Grapevine (ICVG) hosted by UC Davis Foundation Plant Services.

Publications

Golino, D.A., S.T. Sim, J. Bereczky, and A. Rowhani, 2000. The
Use of Shoot Tip Culture in Foundation Plant Materials Service
Programs. Proc. Int. Plant Propagation Soc. 50:568-573.

Sim, Susan T. 2010. Micro- vs. Macroshoot Tip Tissue Culture Therapy for Disease Elimination in Grapevines (pdf). FPS Grape Program Newsletter, Foundation Plant Services, University of California, Davis, California. October 2010:12-15.

Sim, Susan T. 2006. Virus Elimination from Grape Selections Using Tissue Culture (pdf). FPS Grape Program Newsletter, Foundation Plant Services, University of California, Davis, California. pp30-31.

Sim, Susan T. Grapevine Shoot Tip Culture (pdf). Powerpoint presentation.

This website is a work in progress of the University of California (UC) Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR) Integrated Grape Production Workgroup. It is designed to increase accessability to the work of UC researchers, including faculty, Cooperative Extension (CE) specialists, CE advisors, and staff. UC Researchers interested in contributing content are invited to contact Deborah Golino dagolino@ucdavis.edu to discuss possible contributions.