Environmental Effects on the Growth of Plantlets in Micropropagation.

Abstract

Research on environmental effects on the growth of plantlets in micropropagation is reviewed to give an overview on the subject conducted in the past decade, mainly to environmental biologists and engineers. Effects of aerial environmental factors including light, carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, relative humidity, oxygen and ethylene on the growth and photosynthesis of plantlets in vitro are discussed. Then, effects of culture medium environmental factors including sugar concentration, concentrations of ion components, osmotic potential and pH of the culture medium on the growth of plantlets in vitro are discussed. Lastly, effects of biological factors such as explant size and explant density on the growth of plantlets in vitro are discussed. Effects of aerial, culture medium and biological factors on the photoautotrophic (totally photosynthesis dependent) growth of plantlets are emphasized.