Question

Culture of seed embryos to initiate callus or multiple shoots is called _____________.

• A. Anther culture
• B. Embryo culture
• C. Meristem culture
• D. Callus culture

Hint:

The name of the tissue culture method always corresponds to the starting plant tissue. Since the question specifies "seed embryos," the technique is Embryo culture.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Plant tissue culture involves growing isolated plant cells, tissues, or organs in vitro under sterile conditions on a nutrient-rich medium.
The terminology used for different culture techniques is determined by the specific plant tissue (explant) selected as the starting material.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The process of isolating mature or immature seed embryos and culturing them on a sterile nutrient medium is called Embryo culture.
This technique is widely applied in forest biotechnology to:
- Induce direct organogenesis (multiple shoot formation) or indirect organogenesis (callus initiation) from highly regenerative embryonic cells.
- Overcome seed dormancy in slow-germinating tree species.
- Rescue hybrid embryos resulting from wide crosses that would otherwise abort on the parent tree (embryo rescue).
Let us examine the incorrect options:
- Anther culture: Culturing isolated anthers to regenerate haploid plants from microspores.
- Meristem culture: Culturing shoot apical or axillary meristems, primarily used for micropropagation and producing virus-free plants.
- Callus culture: A general term for culturing unorganized cell masses derived from any somatic explant, but when the specific starting organ is the seed embryo, the technique is classified as embryo culture.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Culture of seed embryos to initiate callus or multiple shoots is called Embryo culture.