Question

Which of the following methods is/are used in recovery of healthy plants from diseased plants ?

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

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Meristem culture

The meristem has been described as either a layered structure or as composed of different zones. Strict regulation of the plane of cell division gives rise to the layered appearance, and the division of the meristem into zones is based on the rate of cell division of the central zone (site of meristem maintenance) when compared to the peripheral zone where primordia are initiated. Meristem culture has been successfully used to free plants of viroids (smaller than viruses) and plant pathogens. Banerjee et al. (2010) reported freeing an Artemisia species of a phytoplasma utilizing apical meristem culture. The resulting plants were tested using PCR, visual microscopic examination, and visual evaluation of morphological features to be free of the phytoplasma. Strawberry plants were freed of the crown rot pathogen through meristem culture (Whitehouse et al., 2011). Meristem culture was reported to free plants of viroid infection (Hosokawa, 2008).

So the correct option is 'meristem culture'.