Use of Tissue Culture Technology in Vanilla and Possibilities of Germplasm Conservation

Abstract

Plantlets were produced from tip cultures ofyoung aerial roots of Vanilla
planifolia. With the breakdown of the root cap, the cells of the quiescent
centre divided forming a hemispherical mass of cells which developed either
into a single shoot meristem or organized themselves into several meristems
bearing leaf primordia. After a few leaves have been formed a root
meristem dU!erentiated establishing a well formed plantlet. Since the
constituent cells of the root apical meristems are genetically stable, less
differentiated and permit plant regeneration in high frequency, they form an
ideal material for the long-term preservation of germplasm.