Micropropagation Technology Park

Sanjay Saxena

Micropropagation Technology Park at Gurgaon, Haryana

MTP • MTP is one of the largest tissue culture production

units in north India with an annual production capacity of 1.5 million plants

• The facility is ISO 9001 certified and DBT, Govt. of India accredited reflecting the quality control and assurance of the lab

• Micropropagation protocols have been developed for over 90 species including, forestry species, fruit crops, cash crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, and ornamentals

• Over 19 million plants have so far been dispatched

MTP• Large-scale multiplication of superior clones of

various species using tissue culture • Mass propagation of species that are difficult to

regenerate by conventional methods

• Clonal fidelity of tissue cultured plants is ensured through periodic testing by molecular markers

• TC plants are further fortified with suitable mycorrhiza for better establishment in the field and improved growth

Media lab

Autoclave room

Autoclaving

Inoculation Room

Growth Room

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Polyhouse: Low-cost hardening solution

Shadehouse

Plants growing in the open nursery

Populus deltoidesPaulownia fortuneiLeucaena hybridsEucalyptus tereticornisEucalyptus citriodoraEucalyptus camaldulensisDendrocalamus strictusDendrocalamus asperBambusa nutansBambusa balcoaBambusa bambosAnogeissus pendulaAnogeissus latifoliaForestry species

Pineapple

Strawberry

Citrus (Rootstock)Banana

Apple (Rootstock)

Fruit Species

Large cardamom

Black pepper

TurmericSugarcane

Hops

Cash Crops

Potato

LeekGinger

Asparagus

Vegetable Crops

VanillaSwertia chirataSteviaRauwolfia serpentinaPatchouliGeraniumCrataeva nurvalaChlorophytum borivilianumCentella asiaticaBacopa monnieriAsparagus racemosusAloe VeraMedicinal & Aromatic Plants

Ornamentals (foliage and flowering)Aglaonema Ficus HibiscusAlpinia Miscanthus PinguiculaCalathea Nandiana PlumbagoDieffenbachia Philodendron RoseDracaena Syngonium ThalictrumDrosera Yucca Verbascum

Major clientsDOMSETIC MARKET• Forest & Horticulture departments• R&D projects supported by DBT, Govt. of

India• Agro-based companies• Private entrepreneurs• Nurseries/Individual farmers/growers

INTERNATIONAL MARKETCountries where plants are exported :• The Netherlands, Germany, South Africa &

Australia

Fruit crops

Strawberry

Strawberry cultivation near Shillong

Pineapple in Assam

Citrus

Apple (rootstock)

Shoot multiplication Rooting

Shoot multiplication (Scion wood)

Scarlet Gala Vance Delocious

Cash crops

Potato

Potato minitubers

Potato cultivation at Supi

Farmers’ meet in Uttarakhand

Sugarcane

Ginger

Turmeric

Black pepper

Large cardamom

Asparagus

Medicinal plants

Swertia chirata (Chirayta)

• Endangered, annual herb found in temperate climate at an altitude of 1,200 -1,500 m

• Prized as a tonic; Used in chronic fevers, anemia, bronchial asthma, liver disorders, anti-malarial, anti- helminthic & other diseases

a b

c d

Swertia chirata

Rauwolfia serpentina Picrorhiza

Valeriana Chlorophytum

Stevia rebaudiana

Multiplication Rooting

Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)

Shoot multiplication Rooting

Forest species

Bambusa balcooa

Dendrocalamus asper

Shoot multiplication Rooting

Foliage

Representative ISSR fingerprint profiles of in vitropropagated plantlets of S. chirayita

Services offered by MTP• Supply of tissue cultured plants of various species

in the domestic and the international markets

• Contractual research/production for :- Development of micropropagation protocols

for new crops- Refining of existing protocols for making them

suitable for appropriate business needs- Mass production and supply of plants on an

exclusive basis• Technology transfer

• NO reinventing of wheel• NO ornamentals and species like banana, etc• Focus on :

- Certified seed program (potato, ginger, turmeric, etc)

- Grafted crops (apple, citrus, etc)- Ecologically important crops- Endangered/threatened crops- Introduction and multiplication of exotic germplasm of high potential

Role of government

• Multiplication of parental lines for hybrid seed production

• Early commercialization of newly bred lines• Multiplication of transgenics• Supply of virus-indexed mother cultures of

superior individuals • Transfer of proven technologies to the industry/

entrepreneurs• Setting-up of incubation centres

Role of government

• Impart training for large-scale production of plants by tissue culture

• Demonstration trials for testing technology and creating awareness

• Subsidy• Setting standards for TC companies

Role of government

Other aspects• Selection• Chemoprofiling• Virus indexing• Clonal fidelity• Mycorrhiza