Micropropagation is a popular technique used for propagation of plants.
This technique is already commercially in place in more than 30
developing and transition countries5. The benefits of plant tissue
culture propagation include potentially unlimited multiplication of
selected plant lines or individuals, elimination of pathogens,
production of true-to-type multiplication material of desirable plant
lines, inde.nite storage of genetic resources through long-term
maintenance of propagule inventories.
The success of micropropagation may be explained by its relatively low
cost and generally positive effects on productivity (especially of clonally
propagated root and tuber crops). The most common application of
micropropagation in developing countries is the production of virus
free plantlets through meristem culture combined with explant heat
treatment.
Despite the successful transfer and widespread use of
micropropagation in many developing countries, there has not been much
work done to assess and evaluate its socio-economic impacts. There are
only few examples of plant micropropagation socio-economic impact
studies, the most extensive ones being in China, Kenya and Viet Nam, on
sweetpotato banana and potato, respectively.