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New to this third edition is indepth information on culture contaminats, a tutorial on the use of the microscope, and a discussion of the role of tissue culture a an indispensable tool in modern biotechnology. Plants from test tubes remains the most accessible and practical book on the subject. The applications for plant tissue culture vary from the curious gardener multiplying plants in a home kitechen, to the scienctist working in an elaborate laboratotry, from the orchid hobbyist who has learned to multiply a few favorites, to a million dollar industry where some laboratiories produce more than 20 million plants a year. The basic procedure is simple: a piece of a plant---stem, root leaf, of bud--is placed in the smalest of green houses-a test tube--and induced to grow in a sterile medium. The book is divided into two sections. the first, "The Basics of Tissue Culture," begins with a discussion of the historical and botanical backgound of micropropagation. A short course in Chemistry lays the foundation for media preparation instructions. Sterile technique and culture care are described in detail. Advice is offered on how to deal with possible problems with cultures, including such topics as vitrification, lack of growth, and contamination. Section II, "Culture Guide to Selected Plants." provides recipes for propagating 54 varieties of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants-- an increase of 15 percent from the previous edition. An extensive bibliography and large apendix of suppliers of chemicals and equipment complete this comprehensive edition. 1996 HB
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