Vegetative propagation of miscanthus

The in vitro propagation allows regeneration of new plants from explant tissues to maintain scientific plant material or to create new generations of scientific plant material. It consists of two methods which are direct or indirect.

The direct method

This method consists of direct bud development from the axillary nodes or apical meristems (photo).

The indirect method

This method begins by cultivating immature inflorescences (photo) to product callus, a mass of unorganized cells, from which the shoots will be regenerated.

Tetraploid miscanthus production

The in vitro tetraploidisation of miscanthus will allow the production of tetraploid clones from diploid Miscanthus sinensis clones of interest.

 These tetraploid clones will make it possible:

• the enlargement of the tetraploid pool of clones
• the study of the impact of tetraploidisation on biomass production.
• the creation of new triploid types by combining as best as possible diploid and tetraploid clones. These triploid forms are sterile and therefore will not be invasive as no seed can be dispersed in the environment.

The method used to obtain tetraploid clones is the chemical mutagenesis, some callus will be brought into contact with colchicine, a mutagenesis compound which allows the duplication of the chromosomes in cells, according to the following protocol.