A Plant’s take on its Regenerative Abilities

Unlike humans who roar in vain

I, supposedly deaf dumb, with no brain

feel the same degree of pain

And what’s lost I certainly regain.

Haberlandt, a name not to dread

Saw my ability and the word got spread

Called it Tissue Culture, a landmark breakthrough

Regeneration of entire plants from a tiny tissue

My abilities find myriad application

Raising thousands of plants without variation

Rapid production even when it’s not in season

While introducing genetic transformation

As scientists, on a new path tread

Ensuring millions security of their bread

Growing crops of a uniform kind

Despite the process being a tough grind

Natural totipotency aided by hormones

 as well as wound induced differentiations

Recombinant DNA studies, genome characterisation

Molecular genetics and gene transfer find an application

Ensuring year round production

While assisting genetic preservation

Disease free plants, high yielding varieties

Providing nutrient rich food across societies

My natural regenerative ability

Offers you a scope for Sustainability

From food production to the scientific zone

Plants endangered, vulnerable and prone.

Human endeavours lay my mysteries bare

More they discover, further they care

Realising the challenges in humanity’s sight

Restore thy faith in the nature’s might.

The Science

Totipotency is the ability of a cell to generate an entire individual. Plant cells exhibit remarkable totipotency which explains their regenerative potential and this natural ability was observed by Haberlandt in the early 20th century and he proposed Tissue Culture technique which has over the years addressed a lot of human problems ranging from food security to scientific pursuits.

The Poet

Abhismita Roy is a versatile Environment enthusiast and an Assistant Professor of Botany with interests lying at the vibrant intersection of River Ecology, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation  Ecorestoration. Outside of science, she is a passionate plant parent, a bibliophile, an enthusiastic dancer and a music aficionado.