The quality of human life has been maintained and enhanced for
generations by the use of trees and their products. In recent years,
ever rising human population growth has put tremendous pressure on trees
and tree products; growing awareness of the potential of previously
unexploited tree resources and environmental pollution have both
accelerated development of new technologies for tree propagation,
breeding and improvement. Biotechnology of trees may be the answer to
solve the problems which cannot be solved by conventional breeding
methods. The combination of biotechnology and conventional methods such
as plant propagation and breeding may be a novel approach to improving
and multiplying in large number the trees and woody plants. So far,
plant tissue culture technology has largely been exploited in the
propagation of ornamental plants, especially foliage house plants, by
com- mercial companies. Generally, tissue culture of woody plants has
been recal- citrant. However, limited success has been achieved in
tissue culture of angiosperm and gymnosperm woody plants. A number of
recent reports on somatic embryogenesis in woody plants such as Norway
spruce (Picea abies), Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), Sandalwood (Santalurn
album), Citrus, Mango (Mangifera indica), etc., offer a ray of hope of:
a) inexpensive clonal propa- gation for large-scale production of plants
or "emblings" or "somatic embryo plants", b) protoplast work, c)
cryopreservation, d) genetic transformation, and e) artificial or
manufactured seed production.