Contents: 1. Biotechnology: an overview. 2. Measurement of plant cell growth. 3. Plant tissue culture: principles. 4. Plant tissue culture: methods. 5. Micropropagation in plants. 6. Methods of initiation of embryogenesis in suspension culture. 7. Protoplast culture and isolation. 8. Plant-derived secondary metabolites and biocatalysts. 9. Somaclonal variation and somatic cell genetics. 10. Histological and photographic techniques for plant tissue culture. 11. Techniques for genetic engineering. 12. Genetic transformation of plants. 13. Isolation of plant DNA. 14. The preparation of micropropagated plantlets. Appendices. Glossary. Literature cited.

"Biotechnology, is the manipulation of biological organisms to make products that benefit human beings. Biotechnology contributes to such diverse areas as food production, waste disposal, mining and medicine.

A new industry, based on the discoveries of modern molecular biology, is rapidly gaining momentum. It is now possible to alter living organisms artificially by manipulating their genetic makeup, inducing them to perform new and useful tasks or to make biochemicals that are too costly to synthesize by existing means. At its simplest, biotechnology has been with us for millennia: yeasts have been used for making alcohol, and bacteria for yogurt. Selection of desirable characteristics has allowed the development and improvement of crops and farm animals. However, these techniques have only exploited the natural capabilities of organisms or selected from their existing variability. The latest biotechnology, in contrast, offers means of making new organisms with completely novel capabilities, precisely tailored for a specific purpose." (jacket)