Alginate-encapsulated shoot tips and nodal segments in micropropagation of medicinal plants. A review
Abstract
In recent years, the alginate-encapsulated in vitro-derived shoot tips and nodal segments
have been employed as an alternative to somatic embryos method of artificial seed production.
Encapsulation of non-embryogenic propagules offers an efficient technique for
clonal propagation of elite genotypes e.g. plants of medicinal importance and also enables
the establishment of basal collection for gene banks. The artificial seeds technology based
on vegetative micropropagules may be useful not only in large-scale propagation but also
in short- and long-term conservation and germplasm exchange of desirable species genotypes.
This paper presents a brief overview of current status of plants of medicinal value
propagated by alginate-encapsulated non-embryogenic plant material.