A sugarcane has been affected by virus. How can a virus free cane be developed from it ? Explain the procedure.

A virus free sugar cane can be developed from a virus infected sugar cane by using tissue culture or micropropagation techniques. In this technique, whole plants can be regenerated from explants, i.e., any part of a plant taken out and grown in a test tube, under sterile conditions in special nutrient media.

The procedure is as follows:

a. The meristems, apical and axillary, are removed from the infected plant.

b. These are then grown in vitro with special nutrient medium containing sucrose, inorganic salts, vitamins, amino acids and growth regulators like auxins, cytokinin under sterile conditions.

c. The plantlets grown can later be transferred to soil for further growth.