Question

Write the meaning of following terms.
(a) Explant
(b) Totipotency
(c) Somaclones

Answer 1

(a) Explant : Explant is a small part of a plant or living tissue that is taken out aseptically and is grown in a test tube under sterile condition in a special nutrient media. It should have the ability to convert into totipotent cells.

(b) Totipotency : Totipotency is the ability of a single cell to divide and differentiate into different types of cells. For examples, spores, bone marrow cells are totipotent cells.

(c) Somaclones : The plants which are produced through micropropagation are genetically identical to the original plant from which they were grown. They are called as somaclones.