ABSTRACT
The concept of cell totipotency in plants is very well established, but least understood. Vegetative or clonal propagation of plants is an ancient practice for crop improvement. Regeneration of plants on culture of shoot apices has been possible in a large number of plants, and this is considered to be an alternative method for micropropagation. Meristematic tissues in general are considered to have a relatively higher regeneration potential. Compared to forage legumes, seed legumes are relatively refractory to regeneration. Regeneration from leaf explants is described to be a function of leaf age. The lack of regeneration can be ascribed to either failure of cells in culture to acquire competence under standard conditions or the absence of competent cells. The role of auxin as a cell division factor and root-forming factor has been resolved in terms of the appearance of a specific membrane-bound, auxin-binding factor during regeneration of roots in tobacco tissue.
