Micropropagation of sugarcane between parallel plates

Sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum, shoots were micropropagated in stage 2, the multiplication stage, with individual shoots placed between vertical parallel plates. The control was the conventional practice in which shoots are dropped randomly in liquid media. Shoots grown between parallel plates showed significantly lower growth as measured by shoot multiplication and dry weight. The lower growth could be increased to conventional levels by vessel agitation and an increased growing time. No difference was seen in micropropagation rates between shoots separated by cutting or shoots separated by pulling apart of the multiplied shoot clump.