Biotechnology in vitro - crop, medicinal and endangered plant species

Project continues research in the field of plant biotechnology with research lines grouped around the common use of in vitro culture techniques. Research is extended to cover new species, tasks and methods. Thus apart from classic investigation of factors regulating morphogenesis it also includes Agrobacterium-mediated transformation studies comprising introduction and expression of foreign genes, synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites, senescence, and heavy metal accumulation. New research lines are dedicated to studies of stress and tropic movements. Research covers a broad spectre of species including main crop species (wheat, maize, onion, potato, cabbage and others), medicinal and pharmacologically interesting species (Gentians, Iris, Aesculus sp.), endangered species (Gentians, endemic Pinus sp.), ornamentals (Fritillaria, Iris) and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition to the group of basic in vitro culture techniques, we plan to use cyto-histological, immunological and photobiologcal methods, techniques of molecular biology same as HPLC, ICP are other analytical techniques. Introduction and elaboration of new techniques, methods and research lines will enable better understanding of mechanisms regulating plant growth and development and improvement of traits providing resistance to abiotic stress factors, insects, herbicides and others.