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A superior plant is identified, checked and verified to have all the growth characteristics particular to the variety. |
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We designate these plants to be the mother plants or the donor of plant tissues to start the tissue culture process. |
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The mother plant should be healthy and free from all micro-organisms and
a laboratory disease testing program followed to verify freedom from bacteria, viruses and other disease organisms. |
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A growing point or meristem is removed from a plant and placed into culturing flasks containing appropriate nutrient media
and growth promoting conditions. |
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The plant tissues grow on a nutrient rich culture medium in a sterile environment. |
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Bacteria and fungi are excluded from the mother plant, it is also necessary to exclude these organisms from the growth of the plant tissue therefore, all manipulations are carried out under sterile conditions. |
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At pre-determined stages, the growing plants are divided under sterile conditions and in successful culture, these cells divide, multiply and differentiate into thousands of plantlets having the same characteristics as the mother plant. |
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As the desired number of plantlets has been reached, the plantlets can be transferred to pots or greenhouse conditions to continue the growth process. |
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These plantlets are uniform and with proper care will grow and produce a crop of identical healthy plants. |
