As part of The UWI 75th celebration, the Biotechnology Centre opened its doors once more, to increase awareness of its activities and to share innovative biotechnology methods developed by its staff and students, in relation to agriculture, specifically tissue culture of Jamaica's elite, medicinal and often endemic biodiversity. The Biotechnology Centre is the premier flagship institution for agriculturally related biotechnologies in the Faculty of Science and Technology. On September 29th and October 6th 2023, the Centre came alive as participants learnt about a tissue culture method called ‘micropropagation’. The Experience dubbed ‘Agri-biotechnology Experience’ was hosted by the Medicinal Plant Biotechnology Research Group, led by Dr. Sylvia Mitchell (Biotechnologist). The Research Group was initiated in 1999 with the aim to ‘harness the potential of our plants for health and wealth’.

Many of our plants are in danger of extinction and thus in need of propagation. This in vitro propagation method was new or unexplored by the participants. It was presented stage by stage, from wild biodiversity (Stage 0), through in vitro stages where the plant adapts by miniaturizing (Stages 1-3), to introducing the plantlets back to the environment (Stage 4), all the way up the value chain to such products as wicker baskets, bamboo brooms, creams, lotions and sprays, to name a few. It was a very hands-on experience. The journey began by considering the myriad of important and endemic plants Jamaica has, 3,566 plant species, of which at least 366 plants are medicinal (our treasure chest). After discussing which plants would benefit most from tissue culture, it was fun watching participants taking turns identifying plants such as turmeric, castor bean, bamboo, leaf of life, ginger, sweet potato, and yam while trying to figure out which part of the monocots and dicots to initiate into culture. The glass vessels in which the tiny plants grew; how to sterilise the plants during initiation; how to make the medium they grew in, how to make medium semi-solid like jello; the ‘houses’ used to keep medium from being contaminated even when opened; the growth room in which the vessels are placed; how to get plant pieces to shoot, root and even flower; different methods of hardening; and field growth of plantlets such as pineapple and yam, were all highlighted.

After a hardening demonstration, it was time for participants to harden a plantlet for themselves. This was a lively mess of soil, containers for their soil, sharing of soil mixes, washing the medium off the plantlet’s roots, planting and watering, and covering with plastic cups and cut plastic bottles. This was followed by serious conversations about advantages and disadvantages of micropropagation, its complexity yet simplicity, and of the availability of a variety of containers to harden the plantlets. Everyone left with a tissue cultured plant – either sweet yam, tau yam or sweet potato, and a lot to think about. There were talks of having a gardening club, of trying the techniques at home, of greater appreciation for the utility and intricacies of micropropagation, and how it could be used to produce food forests, as well as protecting biodiversity. Along with their potted plantlet, all participants received a Certificate of participation and were dubbed ‘Agricultural Biotechnology Ambassadors’.

For further information, contact Dr. Sylvia Mitchell at 876-077-1828, 935-8519-21 or email sylvia.mitchell@uwimona.edu.jm.

Photo caption: Agri-Biotechnology Ambassadors, 2023

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