Mass propagation and genetic improvement of forest trees for biomass production by tissue culture

Wood derived from forest trees can serve as a major alternative source of energy and fuel because of the current energy shortage and increase in price of oil and natural gas. Normally, trees take several years to grow and produce seeds. But, in recent years, 'test tube trees' have been produced in large numbers (as many as 3000 plants per year) from one seedling using tissue culture by treating a few cells of a tree with specific chemical substances. Tissue culture is a promising technique for mass production of large numbers of superior trees, derived through genetic improvement, and may prove widely applicable to trees which show promise as energy sources. Three selected tree genera, viz. Sapium sebiferum (Chinese Tallow), Leucaena leucocephala (giant ipil-ipil, a tropical legume) and Copaifera multijuga (Copaiba tree from Brazil) have been studied because of their potential usefulness for biomass production. Regeneration of vegetatively produced plantlets has been achieved from embryos and callus cells grown in specific culture medium for two of the above genera. High yields of protoplasts have been obtained isolated from cells of different plant parts and grown as calli. Conditions which will enable callus derived from protoplasts to undergo in vitro regeneration, plantlet formation and eventually growth into plants are being investigated.