A Beginner’s Guide to Begonias: Micropropagation and Tissue Culture

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum) is commonly propagated through seeds and cuttings. However, for mass clonal propagation to maintain select traits or for controlled genetic studies, micropropagation and tissue culture serve as alternative means of propagation. This publication explains the differences between micropropagation and tissue culture, providing a breakdown of the stages involved in each process. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably due to similar procedural stages, they differ in their source of explant materials and primary objectives.