Culture Media and Cell Culture - The beginning of plant tissue culture was made as early as 1898, when a German botanist, G. Haberlandt successfully cultured fully differentiated individual plant cells, isolated from different tissues in several plant species. For about thirty five years (i.e. upto 1934), little further progress in cell culture research was made, although culture of embryos, roots and other tissues was achieved in this period.

Consequently, media and culture techniques for a variety of plant materials became known and their uses suggested which are now being extensively utilized due to the recognition of the significance of plant tissue culture in plant biotechnology. Plant tissue culture research has become a thrust area during the last decade due to the renewed emphasis it has received in all areas of crop improvement programmes.

In several publications, including books, and in syllabi prescribed for biotechnology courses of our universities, plant tissue culture along with plant genetic engineering have become synonymous with plant biotechnology. Keeping this in view, this chapter and the next few chapters are being devoted to various aspects of plant tissue culture. This chapter is devoted to culture media and cell culture techniques.