Question

Which part is most suitable for raising virus- free plants in micropropagation?
(a) Bark
(b) Node
(c) Vascular tissue
(d) Meristem

Answer 1

Hint: They are the undifferentiated cells that undergo cell division and play an important role in the formation of various tissues and organs of the body that leads to the full development of the individual.

Complete step by step answer:
For raising a virus-free plant by the process of micropropagation various parts of the plants are used but the most suitable part is meristem as they divide at a very fast rate so the virus cannot reach there.
- It is a modern technique of plant culture where a particular part of the plant is taken and is multiplied to obtain a large number of its copies.
- It is a method of tissue culture that multiplies those plants that have desirable characters and traits that are genetically modified to obtain a better yield.
- This method is useful for those plants that are unable to produce seeds and do not respond to vegetative propagation.
- By this method, several plantlets are produced from the stock plant or the plant we require.
- The plants obtained may be virus- free if the stock plant is meristem.
- The apical meristem is generally fast- growing while the space of the virus growth is very slow in its comparison, so by the time the virus reaches it the meristem will divide and form a new one. Thus, not giving a chance for the virus to develop on it.
- The process of micropropagation involves four stages:
(a) election of mother plant
(b) Multiplication
(c) Rooting and acclimatization
(d) Transfer new plant to soil

So, the correct answer is ‘Meristem’.

Note: The process of micropropagation was first discovered In the 1950s by the botanist of the Cornwell University Frederick Campion Steward along with the discovery of plant tissue culture in the 1960s. It has many advantages that include the formation of the clones of a desirable plant while its major drawback is that the technique is quite expensive.