(7) Plant stem cells - the production of identical plants from meristems

In plants, the only cells that divide by mitosis are found in plant tissues called meristems.

Meristem tissue is found in the tips of roots and shoots - the parts of plants that are growing.

Meristems make undifferentiated (unspecialised) cells that can divide and form any type of cell the plant needs.

These unspecialised cells are effectively acts as 'embryonic' stem cells.

However, unlike human stem cells, they can differentiate to form any type of cell for the lifetime of the plant.

These unspecialised cells can form the specialised tissue cells of the xylem and phloem.

Plant stem cells can be used to make clones - so identical genetic copies of a plant can be grown quickly and cheaply.

This means plant growers can grow crops of identical plants that have been genetically engineered to have more desirable features for farmers e.g. increased size of wheat grain, more disease resistant - but GM crops are also a controversial topic too!

Cloning has an important application in preserving rare species of plants - to grow more of those in danger of becoming extinct.

See Hormone control of plant growth and uses of plant hormones

and section on plants in Cloning - tissue culture of plants for more details on cloning

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Key points

Based on the syllabus-specifications for students taking the AQA, Edexcel and OCR GCSE level biology examinations (~US grades 9-10).

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Summary of ideas

Introduction to Meristems and Stem Cells in Plants

Plants contain regions of actively dividing cells called meristems.

These meristems consist of undifferentiated stem cells, which retain the ability to develop into any type of plant cell.

There are two main types:

• Apical Meristems (found in shoot and root tips) – responsible for growth in length.

• Lateral Meristems (found in stems and roots) – responsible for thickening (secondary growth).

These stem cells are valuable for cloning because they can be used to produce genetically identical plants.

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How Meristem Stem Cells Are Used for Cloning

Plant cloning is achieved through a technique known as micropropagation, which involves:

1. Selection of a desirable plant (e.g., high yield, disease resistance, or aesthetic traits).

2. Extraction of meristematic tissue from the parent plant.

3. Tissue culturing – meristem cells are placed in a sterile medium with nutrients and growth hormones (such as auxins and cytokinins).

4. Cell division and differentiation – the cells multiply and differentiate into tiny plantlets.

5. Transplantation – the plantlets are transferred to soil and grown under controlled conditions.

Since meristem cells are naturally totipotent, they can form identical clones, ensuring all cloned plants have the same desirable traits.

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Importance of Cloning in Agriculture and Horticulture

Using plant stem cells for cloning offers several advantages:

Mass production – Thousands of identical plants can be produced quickly.

Uniform crops – Ensures consistency in traits (e.g., taste, appearance, disease resistance).

Faster reproduction – Cloning is quicker than traditional breeding.

Preservation of desirable characteristics – Ideal for commercial farming and ornamental plants.

Examples:

• Banana plants, strawberries, orchids, potatoes – widely cloned for agriculture.

• Seedless fruit varieties – cloned because they do not naturally produce viable seeds.

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The Role of Meristem Stem Cells in Preserving Endangered Plant Species

Cloning through meristem stem cells is crucial for conservation and preventing extinction.

• Rare species with few remaining individuals can be cloned to increase their numbers.

• Plants with low seed viability (e.g., orchids) can be propagated successfully.

• Restoration of habitats by reintroducing cloned endangered species into the wild.

Example: The Norfolk Island Pine has been successfully cloned to prevent its extinction.

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Ethical and Practical Considerations

While meristem cloning has significant benefits, there are challenges to consider:

Lack of genetic diversity – Cloned populations may be more vulnerable to diseases.

Expensive process – Tissue culture and laboratory conditions require investment.

Risk of monoculture farming – Large cloned populations may reduce biodiversity.

Despite these concerns, plant cloning remains an essential tool in agriculture, conservation, and horticulture.

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Summary of learning objectives and key words or phrases

Describe and explain the use of plant stem cells from meristems to make identical plants.

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