Effects of Some Natural Organic Additives in Vitro Plant Propagation

Abstract

Tissue culture is a technique that enables the rapid and large-scale multiplication of plants using any parts of them under aseptic conditions. Its success depends on various factors, including the plant species and cultivar, type and age of the explant, culture conditions, and the composition of the culture medium. Determination of specific nutritional requirements of plants can be challenging in tissue culture studies which makes the optimization of culture media components essential. However, the high cost of some medium components has driven the search for alternative, low-cost organic additives that do not compromise plantlet quality. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of organic growth additives on plant development. Commonly used complex organic additives are plant extracts such as coconut water (CW), banana extracts, and a variety of fruit juices; casein hydrolysate (CH), yeast extract (YE) etc. These additives provide natural carbon sources and are rich in vitamins, phenolic compounds, fiber, hormones, proteins, lipids, and minerals. Previous studies have demonstrated that modification of medium composition with natural complex additives can induce cell division, stimulate callus formation, and support both rooting and shoot development. Optimum concentration of these additives is crucial for promoting plant or cell growth and development. This review will focus on the effects of supplementing culture media with coconut water, banana homogenate, and casein hydrolysate as organic additives on in vitro plant growth and development. Understanding the effects of these natural additives may prove valuable for plant species that have not yet been investigated in this respect, offering a foundation for future research.