ABSTRACT
Plant tissue culture is a technique in which small tissue or organ pieces are removed from intact plants and cultured aseptically on a nutrient medium. Most tissue culture techniques described in laboratory manuals are applicable for Allium species, although some modifications are needed to adapt a particular method to a local variety or clone. In Allium micropropagation programmes, one of the important steps is the transfer of propagules from in vitro culture to soil. To develop roots, differentiated shoots require changes in media composition and also in culture environment. Meristem-tip culture is a commonly used in vitro method for clonal propagation and for virus eradication in Allium species. This method maintains high genetic stability and consequently the isolated meristem-tips can be used for in vitro germplasm conservation. The problem of postzygotic incompatibility in interspecific Allium hybrids can in some instances be avoided, by using embryo rescue and culture techniques.
