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Dennerle

DENNERLE PLANTS In-Vitro PLANTS

The propagation of plants is an interesting and exciting subject for any gardener in commercial horticulture, as well as for amateur gardeners in their homes. A distinction exists between generative (sexual) reproduction through seeds and vegetative (asexual) reproduction by separating plant parts that develop into completely new plants. The latest method of vegetative reproduction is tissue culture in a plant laboratory.

In-Vitro culture (Latin: "in glass") has existed for many decades, developed from the need to propagate robust, healthy plants when creating new varieties in ornamental plant production. In this process, tiny plant parts are removed under sterile conditions and cultivated on suitable nutrient media.

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Meristems - Nature's Blueprints

The most common method of asexual laboratory reproduction uses meristem tissue. All plants have meristem or cambium tissue at their shoot tips, containing undifferentiated cells with the entire "blueprint" of the plant species. These tissues can only be removed under sterile laboratory conditions to protect them from fungal pathogens. The harvested cell clusters are placed in special containers on artificial nutrient substrate, forming young plants after approximately 6-8 weeks.

Conservation Through Cultivation

This vegetative reproduction method has been used in aquarium plant production for over 20 years. Cryptocorynes, which grow slowly and are difficult to propagate commercially through division, were once harvested from wild stocks in places like Sri Lanka. Due to increasing demand in the 1970s and 1980s, these plants were dramatically decimated in their natural habitats.

Meristem propagation in the laboratory has helped stop this uncontrolled removal from the wild while enabling reliable propagation of specific sub-species with their characteristic features. Some species like Cryptocoryne wendtii are naturally variable in color and growth habits, but meristem propagation reproduces these features identically. Theoretically, unlimited new plants with identical characteristics can be produced from a single cell.

Popular Aquarium Plants Produced In-Vitro

Many familiar aquarium plants are now produced this way, including:

  • Anubias
  • Cryptocorynes
  • Ceratopteris
  • Hemianthus
  • Hydrocotyle
  • Pogostemon

While this method works for many plants, some species require different propagation approaches. Echinodorus, for example, forms plantlets with roots on the flower stalk that can be removed and re-potted when mature. True aquatic plants that can only grow underwater (like Vallisnerias or Cabomba) aren't suitable for meristem cultivation.

The aquarium plants preferred for in-vitro propagation are marsh plants that can grow both above and below water. In culture vessels, they develop typical underwater growth features, but must initially acclimatize to life above water in the greenhouse, typically developing emersed leaves after just 2-3 weeks.

Dennerle's In-Vitro Innovation

A logical development in this field is marketing mini tubs for aquatics enthusiasts. This originated at Dennerle when cultivating Cryptocoryne sp. 'Flamingo', a striking pink plant found in a clump of Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown'. While attempts at above-water cultivation failed, the plants thrived in aquariums, leading to the decision to market this rarity directly from the laboratory in mini tubs.

From these beginnings, Dennerle developed their "plantit!" range of In-Vitro plants in mini cups, including:

  • Ground cover plants like Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'
  • The new Micranthemum tweediei 'Montecarlo'
  • Foreground and midground plants like Rotala indica and Staurogyne repens
  • Rarities such as Eichhornia diversifolia and scarce Cryptocoryne varieties

Benefits of In-Vitro Plants

All these plants share common advantages:

  • Sterile cultivation prevents pest infestations and pathogens
  • No algae growth
  • Free from snails and snail eggs
  • Compact and highly branched growth
  • Submerged habit eliminates transition phase in the aquarium

The plantit cups are especially well-suited for aquascaping, as their small size allows easy insertion between stones and roots in hardscapes. While the plants are significantly smaller than conventionally cultivated aquarium plants, they offer a clean way for shrimp enthusiasts to add new plants to established aquaria without the usual water treatment.

For best results, the gelatinous nutrient medium should be carefully washed off, and the plant cushion divided into small pieces planted at intervals in the substrate. As Dennerle's slogan says: Clean it! Cut it! Plant-it!
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