A review on synthetic seed production of medicinal plants

What is it about?

The present review illustrates the implementation of synthetic seed technology for mass propagation and short-term storage of several medicinal plants, popularly grown throughout the world. Biotechnology-based research with special reference to in vitro plant cell and tissue culture intervention created a new outlook in terms of mass propagation, germplasm storage and cryoconservation, production of secondary metabolites as well as genetic transformation. Synthetic seed technology involving alginate encapsulation of in vitro or in vivo generated explants proved to be a competent system to deal with multiplication, storage and exchange of seedless medicinal plants having traits of choice that are intricate to propagate via conventional approach. Nevertheless, optimization of production, storage and exchange of synthetic seeds are influenced by several factors. Manipulation of those factors such as explant selection, encapsulating agent and matrix determined the success of synthetic seed technology in medicinal plants. The present review elucidates an outline of past progress, present status and future prospects of synthetic seed technology intervention in medicinal plants with special emphasis on the factors which determine the success of this technology.

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