Application of 3D printing to prototype and develop novel plant tissue culture systems | JoVE Visualize

Application of 3D printing to prototype and develop novel plant tissue culture systems

Mukund R Shukla¹, Amritpal S Singh¹, Kevin Piunno¹

¹Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, E.C. Bovey Building Room 4221, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada.

Plant Methods|January 25, 2017

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

3D printing enables novel plant tissue culture vessels with controlled LED lighting for improved in vitro plant growth experiments. This technology offers species-specific light optimization and energy efficiency, advancing controlled environment agriculture.

Area of Science:

Plant Science
Biotechnology
Engineering

Background:

Conventional plant tissue culture vessel design is complex and limits innovation.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) offer energy efficiency but require optimized integration for controlled environments.
Current lighting systems lack uniformity and spectral control, hindering statistically valid plant growth experiments.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and prototype innovative plant tissue culture vessels using 3D printing.
To integrate independently controlled LED lighting systems for variable fluence rate and spectra.
To evaluate the utility of 3D printing for developing functional plant culture systems.

Main Methods:

Modular culture vessel design and prototyping utilizing 3D printing technology.
Independent control of light fluence rate and spectral output via LED integration.
In vitro plant growth experiments with *Nicotiana tabacum* and *Artemisia annua* under varied light conditions.

Main Results:

Successful prototyping of culture vessels with independently controlled LED lighting.
Demonstrated species-specific responses of *Nicotiana tabacum* and *Artemisia annua* to different light spectra.
Validated the effectiveness of 3D printing for designing and testing functional plant culture systems.

Conclusions:

3D printing facilitates the creation of advanced plant culture systems with precise light control.
The developed system enhances experimental validity through uniform lighting and improved randomization.
This open-source design promotes further innovation in controlled environment plant research and energy-efficient lighting solutions.

Keywords: