National Research Council of Italy
Trees and Timber Institute

The laboratory has the equipments and the expertise necessary to carry out biotechnological investigations, applied to the micropropagation, in vitro conservation (slow growth storage) and  cryopreservation of plant species. This activity responds to the research and development demand coming from both the commercial sector of in vitro ropagation, and the public Institutions involved in the preservation of plant genetic resources. The laboratory contains laminar flow hoods, equipment and climatic chambers at high light intensity, fitting for the in vitro proliferation and conservation of selected shoot cultures and embryogenic callus lines. An advanced cryobank for the conservation in liquid nitrogen of organs and tissues completes the laboratory. Studies range from innovative systems of in vitro culture and regeneration (micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis, synthetic seeds, liquid culture in temporary immersion) to the development of techniques for the slow growth storage of shoots and the cryopreservation of explants by means of innovative procedures of vitrification and direct immersion in liquid nitrogen. Analyses of the main gases (CO2 and ethylene), accumulating in the culture and storage jars, are performed by gas-chromatography equipped with packed columns, while anatomical investigations are carried out in the laboratory of histo-anatomy and microscopy. The laboratory has numerous collaborations with International and National Universities, Research Centres and commercial laboratories of micropropagation. The laboratory is open to Italian and foreign students, interested to have research and formative stages on tissue culture, as well as to the realization of scientific and technical courses.   

TEAM

Maurizio Lambardi (person in charge)
Carla Benelli
Anna De Carlo
Elif Aylin Ozudogru