Plant quality

Factors determining quality of TC plants

Functional Stomata

Abnormal development of cuticular waxes

in tissue cultured plants compared to

greenhouse grown ones.

Water Retention Capacity

Stomatal structure and functioning of micropropagated plants differ from greenhouse grown plants: in the former ones stomata are superficial and circular,compared to normal elliptical sunken guard cells in the latter.

In some plant species hydathodes* were open and had larger apertures compared to greenhouse grown plants. In roses no hydathodes are observed when RH in the container is lowered.



*A hydathode is a type of secretory tissue in leaves, usually of Angiosperms, that secretes water throughpores in the epidermis or margin of leaves, typically at the tip of a marginal tooth or serration. They probably evolved from modified stomata.


Uniformity
* size
* absence of somaclonal variance

lack in uniformity in plant size causes problems for automatization and for the right treatment of the plants (water supply, fertilization...)


Rootability and Root Quality

Photosynthetic capacity (see autotrophy vs. mixotrophy)