ABSTRACT
Micropropagation is dened as aseptic asexual plant propagation on a dened culture medium in culture vessels under controlled conditions of light and temperature. Since plants are propagated in culture vessels, the procedure is often referred to as in vitro (Latin: “in glass”) propagation. In reality, numerous types of culture vessels constructed of plastic are often used. The commercial application of micropropagation became established in France during the mid-1960s with orchids. Since this time, commercial micropropagation has developed into a worldwide industry, producing more than 500 million plants yearly. By 2001, there were approximately 90 commercial micropropagation laboratories in the United States. Requirements for specialized equipment, highly-trained technicians, and high labor costs make the technology very expensive. Consequently, commercial micropropagation is limited to crops generating high unit prices, including ornamental plants and food crops such as potato.
