There are several methods developed for growing plants. For instance, we already know that plants grow in fields from seeds. Then there are other methods like vegetative propagation where stem cuttings, tubers, etc. of different plants are used to grow and propagate in soil. These methods in general take a longer duration to grow with specific soil conditions that need to be present along with other factors. This is where tissue culture steps in to enhance the growth without the above-mentioned restrictions.

It may sound complicated, however, tissue culture is an easy-to-follow process. Under this technique, a piece of plant is taken, and it could be anything from a portion of stem, root, leaf or bud to merely a single cell. This piece is placed in a tiny quasi ‘greenhouse’ such as a test tube or culture vessel along with a balanced diet of growth-enhancing biochemicals / plant hormones resembling the plant’s original nutrient composition. This little piece in that tiny ‘greenhouse’ is called an ‘explant’ which will develop into several tiny, yet complete plant systems known as ‘plantlets’. This entire process is possible as plant cells have an amazing ability to differentiate into other cell types and this quality is known as ‘totipotency’.