What is micropropagation?

Micropropagation is a technique used in plant biotechnology that involves the propagation of plants through tissue culture methods. In this process, small pieces of plant tissue, often referred to as explants, are taken from a parent plant and placed in a controlled environment with nutrient-rich culture media. This allows for the rapid growth and development of plantlets that can later be transferred to soil. Micropropagation is particularly valuable because it enables the mass production of genetically identical plants in a relatively short amount of time, which is essential for agriculture and horticulture.

The ability to produce disease-free plants, regenerate plants from even a single cell, and control environmental conditions are significant advantages of micropropagation. It plays an important role in the preservation of rare or endangered species and allows for the propagation of plants that are difficult to breed by conventional methods.

Other options do not accurately reflect the definition of micropropagation. Breeding animals, preserving seeds, and grafting plants do not utilize tissue culture techniques or focus specifically on the aspect of plant propagation that micropropagation encompasses.