MICROPROPAGATION IN CITRUS - A REVIEW

Citrus trees are propagated both by seed and by vegetative means. Vegetative propagation is preferred because it ensures true to type plants, uniform quality, regular bearing etc. Tissue culture technique particularly micropropagation, is now gaining popularity due to many reasons. Micropropagation has many advantages over conventional methods of vegetative propagation and its application in citrus is currently expanding world wide. The goal of micropropagation is to obtain a large number of genetically identical, physiologically uniform and developmentally normal plantlets preferably with a high photosynthetic potential to survive the harsh ex vitro conditions, in a reduced time period and at a lowered cost. The performance of micropropagated plantlets should be at par in comparison to plants raised by conventional method.