Plant Cell and Tissue Culture Techniques for Weed Science Research

Abstract

Tissue and cell culture offer weed scientists many opportunities to research herbicide effects on plants. This review will discuss examples in which plant cells grown in vitro have been used to study herbicide action. Plant cell and tissue culture have many advantages over the use of whole plants; however, several disadvantages that exist are discussed. Cell cultures can be established for most plant species and provide a relatively homogeneous system for studying herbicide action. Responses of plant cells to herbicides are usually correlated with responses at the whole plant level, and cells have the advantage of posing fewer physical barriers to herbicide uptake and translocation. Cell culture techniques discussed include: screening candidate herbicide compounds; investigating herbicide efficacy, mechanism of action, metabolism, and uptake; and ascertaining mechanisms of herbicide resistance, selecting for resistance, and regenerating crops.