Originally published in 1983, Plants from Test Tubes was one of the first how-to books on plant tissue culture of "cloning". It continues to be an internationally popular primer. New to this third edition is in-depth information on culture contaminants, a tutorial on the use of the microscope, and a discussion of the role of tissue culture as an indispensable tool in modern biotechnology. Plants from Test Tubes remains the most accessible and practical book on the subject. The applications for plant tissue culture vary from the curious gardener multiplying plants in a home kitchen, to the scientist working in an elaborate laboratory, from the orchid hobbyist who has learned to multiply a few favorites, to a million-dollar industry where some laboratories produce more than 20 million plants a year. The basic procedure is simple: a piece of a plant-stem, root, leaf, or bud-is paced in the smallest of green-house-a test tube-and induced to grow in a sterile medium. The book is divided into two sections. The first, "The Basics of Tissue Culture", begins with a discussion of the historical and botanical background of micropropagation. A short course in chemistry lays the foundation for media preparation instructions. Sterile technique and culture care are described in detail. Advice is offered on how to deal with possible problems with cultures, including such topics as vitrification, lack of growth, and contamination. Section II, ""ulture Guide to Selected Plants", provides recipes for propagating 54 varieties of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants-an increase of 15 percent from the previous edition. An extensive bibliography and a large appendix of suppliers of chemicals and equipment complete this comprehensive edition.
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