Step 1: Understanding plant tissue culture.
In plant biotechnology, "in vitro" culture refers to growing plant tissues under sterile conditions on nutrient media.
Step 2: Problem of viral infection in plants.
Many plant viruses spread systemically through vascular tissues, making whole plants infected. However, some regions remain virus-free.
Step 3: Role of meristem in plants.
The apical meristem region is a region of actively dividing cells where vascular connections are not fully developed.
Step 4: Why meristem is virus-free.
Viruses move through vascular tissues, but meristem lacks proper vascular differentiation, so viruses fail to invade this region.
Step 5: Application in tissue culture.
Meristem culture is used to regenerate whole plants that are virus-free because the starting tissue is not infected.
Step 6: Final conclusion.
Therefore, virus-free plants are obtained through meristem culture.