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Merck

Plant Culture Reagents

It shows a close-up view of a gloved hand handling test tubes with green plant stems immersed in a clear liquid, which could be part of a study on plant growth or tissue culture. The test tubes are placed in a metal rack, and there’s more laboratory glassware in the background with similar specimens.

Plant cell culture, such as seed culture, meristem culture, callus culture, bud culture, and other plant tissue culture requires specialized supplements and reagents. We offer gelling agents, plant growth regulators, auxins, cytokinins, specialty water and other supplements like antibiotics and amino acids for supporting the growth and development of plant cells in culture.  

Plant Tissue Culture Gelling Agents

Plant tissue is cultured in liquid medium or placed on a gel substrate. Agar has long been used as a gelling agent for plant tissue culture. Phytagel™ is an agar substitute produced from a bacterial substrate that is optimized for plant culture. It produces a clear, colorless, high-strength gel, which aids in the detection of microbial contamination. Agargel™ is a blend of agar and Phytagel™ that was developed to help control vitrification in plant tissue cultures, and produces a semi-clear gel that is superior for detecting contamination. Gelrite® (Gelzan™), gelling agent is another agar substitute that can be used in plant tissue culture applications.

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Plant Growth Regulators

Plant Auxins and Cytokinins

Plant Culture Vitamin Mixes and Other Reagents



Plant Growth Regulators

Plant growth regulators can support cell growth and induce metabolic pathways in plant cell and tissue culture protocols. Plant growth regulators include auxins, cytokinins, and zeatin. Our plant hormone collection includes abscisic, jasmonic, and gibberellic acid. Herbicides validated for plant cell culture include dicamba and glyphosate (Roundup®).

Plant Auxins and Cytokinins

Auxins are used in plant cell culture to promote cell division, cell elongation, and callus formation. Our auxin catalog includes the most commonly used in plant cell culture — 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid — plus 3-indoleacetic acid, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, phenylacetic acid, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Cytokinins promote cell division and differentiation in plant tissue culture. Kinetin and benzyl-aminopurine are the most commonly used cytokinins in plant cell culture. Our plant culture-approved cytokinins include kinetin, benzylaminopurines, adenines, zeatin, and thidiazuron.

Plant Culture Vitamin Mixes and Other Reagents

Plant tissue culture requires specialized plant culture media and supplements. We offer Gamborg’s vitamin mix, salts, banana powder, antibiotics (neomycin, rifampicin, vancomycin, paromomycin), specialty waters including seawater and coconut water, as well as other vital supplements for optimizing the growth of plant cells and tissues in culture.




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