The aim of the proposal is to develop nondamaging automated techniques for transfer of tissue aliquots in the regeneration of transplantable plants from callus cultures in liquid culture on the basis of the state of differentiation, viability, endogenous vigor and genetic stability. He would test laboratory prototypes for efficacy in nondestructive separation of tissues on the basis of differences in the properties of differentiated and nondifferentiated tissues and assess the reliability of the systems thus derived. He would also determine the optical properties of the tissues to be transferred while suspended in a transparent medium and devise optical or other systems capable of reliably assessing tissue separation. This proposal addresses an important constraint upon clonal plant propagation. It proposes methods which, if successful, would eliminate the labor intensive stages in handling of plant tissue cultures for large scale propagation.
