Thin Cell Layer technology in ornamental plant micropropagation and biotechnology

Abstract

Thin cell layer (TCL) technology originated almost 30 years ago with the controlled development of flowers, roots, shoots and somatic embryos on tobacco pedicel longitudinal TCLs. Since then TCLs have been successfully used in the micropropagation of many ornamental plant species whose previous in vitro regeneration was not successful using conventional methods. This review examines the fundamentals behind TCLs, and their application in ornamental plant micropropagation and transformation. Key words : Chrysanthemum, lily, somatic embryogenesis, thin cell layer, tobacco, transformation. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 2 (12), pp. 683-691, December 2003