Nanotechnology in Plant Tissue Culture

Nanotechnology refers to the manufacturing of materials at the nanoscale (1–100 nm) used for various purposes in several industries and research. Plant tissue culture (PTC) technique involves the in vitro propagation of plants under aseptic, optimal conditions. In general, in vitro propagation involves mass production, genetic uniformity, genepool conservation, and production of better-quality plants in a short period of time. However, the technique has some limitations such as microbial contamination, low morphogenetic rate, and low survival rate in ex-vitro conditions. To overcome these constraints, nanotechnology has been employed in plant tissue culture. Nanoparticles (NPs) like silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), copper oxide (CuO), and various others have shown promising results in reducing contamination, enhancing shoot and root regeneration, callus regeneration, inducing somatic embryogenesis and providing stress resilience. Although NPs have delivered great results, environmental concerns have also emerged regarding the use and disposal of NPs. It is considered that NPs remain accumulated in the culture waste, causing soil bioaccumulation, phytotoxicity at higher concentrations and trophic transfer to non-target organisms, posing a risk to ecosystems and food chains. Future scope emphasizes green synthesis using biological extracts for biodegradable NPs, precise dose optimization via nano-biosensors and regulatory frameworks for safe disposal.