Crop improvement in sugarcane studies using in vitro methods
Nickell, L.G.
Crop Science 17(5): 717-719
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0011-183X DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1977.0011183x001700050011x
Accession: 005068908
Present advances in plant cell and tissue culture have increased the use of the many approaches afforded by these techniques for practical exploitation in agriculture. Now that the earlier problems of demonstrating totipotency, obtaining suspension cultures of cells and protoplasts, and inducing haploid clones from pollen and anthers were solved (at least for some plants), the techniques of microbial genetics are being applied to higher plant systems [Saccharum officinarum]. The stage is now set for the induction, detection, and identification of desirable mutants for the study of biosynthetic pathways and for increasing desirable agronomic characteristics such as disease resistance.