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International Journal of
Agriculture and Plant Science
ARCHIVES
VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Tissue culture in mulberry (Morus spp.): Techniques, applications, challenges and future prospects
Authors
G Savitha
Abstract
Sericulture is a vital agro-based industry that depends largely on the quality and productivity of mulberry (Morus spp.), the exclusive host plant of the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.). Improvement of mulberry for enhanced leaf yield, nutritional quality, and stress tolerance is therefore essential for sustainable silk production. However, conventional breeding approaches are time-consuming and constrained by the perennial nature, high heterozygosity, and complex genetics of mulberry. In this context, plant tissue culture has emerged as an efficient biotechnological approach for rapid multiplication, genetic conservation, and crop improvement. This review presents a comprehensive overview of tissue culture techniques in mulberry, including micropropagation, callus culture, somatic embryogenesis, and organogenesis, along with their role in large-scale propagation and production of disease-free planting material. Applications such as synthetic seed technology, cryopreservation, and in vitro screening for stress tolerance are also discussed. Furthermore, the integration of tissue culture with modern molecular tools such as marker-assisted selection, genetic transformation, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing offers new opportunities for precise genetic improvement of mulberry. Despite these advances, challenges including somaclonal variation, contamination, high production costs, and acclimatization losses remain significant constraints. Future developments in automation, bioreactor systems, and artificial intelligence-assisted culture management may further enhance the efficiency and commercial feasibility of tissue culture technologies. Overall, tissue culture represents a key enabling technology for accelerating mulberry improvement and ensuring sustainable and climate-resilient sericulture.
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Pages:267-275
How to cite this article:
G Savitha "Tissue culture in mulberry (Morus spp.): Techniques, applications, challenges and future prospects ". International Journal of Agriculture and Plant Science, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 267-275
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