Micropropagation of Pteridophytes

Abstract

Pteridophytes are haplodiplontic plants that do not produce seeds but haploid spores. Pteridophytes, in general, prefer shaded, moist areas, although their habitat varies considerably. They find different uses such as ornamentals, foliage plants, medicine, and food, and few are good biofertilizers. These plants play an important role in the ecological systems of forests and grasslands and have even successfully colonized urban niches. Their exquisite foliage patterns and resilient growing make them popular ornamental plants globally. Pteridophytes can be propagated by vegetative, sexual, and tissue culture methods. The most common method of propagation is the division of the rhizome. Other means of vegetative propagation are bulbils, aerial growths, stolons, gemmae, stipules, layering tubers, cuttings, and root buds. Pteridophytes are also raised through the spore, with a fusion of gametes in the sexual propagation method. Micropropagation has emerged as a powerful tool for the rapid propagation of rare and endangered plants. Due to environmental changes, the pteridophyte population has gone down drastically in the wild. Thus, it would be appropriate to employ scientific methods such as tissue culture to conserve and propagate these pteridophytes. A much superior and uniform quality of ferns can be produced independent of the season by this technology.