HARDENING - AN ESSENTIAL STEP FOR TISSUE CULTURERAISED PLANTS

Abstract

High humidity is required for acclimatizing tissue culture raised plants after taking them out from rooting media and transferring to pots. In greenhouse, controlling the transpiration of these plants gradually does help them to get adapted in the in vivo climate. Stepwise transition from test tube to greenhouse can reduce loss of plant material. But these steps differ according to plant species in culture. Several techniques, rooting substrate and microclimate(s), are used to harden these plants. The sequentially standardized steps for routine transplantation of tissue culture raised banana plantlets are discussed here.