The ABL Plant Tissue Culture Unit provides equipment and facilities for research or plant production that requires embryo rescue, micropropagation, somaclonal variation, somatic embryogenesis, anther culture, botanical substance production, meristem culture for pathogen elimination, propagation of target tissues for plant transformation, regeneration of transgenic plants, plant nutritional analysis, germplasm preservation, morphogenesis, and cytogenetics.

Training Education

Located in the new Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory Building, the ABL Plant Tissue Culture Unit provides formal training in plant tissue culture. Plant Tissue Culture is offered during the fall semester of odd-numbered years (PLSC 292, PLSC 308). In addition, individual instruction and training in the fundamentals of all aseptic procedures can be provided as workshops or individual training sessions. Internships, for credit, are offered on a semester basis to students who want training in commercial micropropagation of plants or plant tissue and cell culture.

Academic Industrial Liaisons

The ABL Plant Tissue Culture Unit houses ConnectiCulture (CTC) of the Department of Plant Science, a non-profit plant micropropagation company, staffed by UConn students. CTC has liaisons with several of the faculty at the University of Connecticut who participate with the in vitro production of plants, particularly rhododendrons and woody ornamentals. In addition, businesses nationwide use its services for the commercial production of rhododendron, mountain laurel and alstroemeria. These businesses include Monrovia Nursery, Azusa, CA, Imperial Nurseries of East Granby, CT, Sunny Border Nursery of Kensington, CT, Prides Corner Farm in Lebanon, CT, Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, VA and Plant Delights Nursery, Raleigh, NC.