There’s nothing more satisfying than grabbing a handful of fresh berries and knowing they come straight off the bush. But a blueberry’s journey from field to table requires more than just a skillful hand. A few factors attribute to our product being as plump and fresh as it is.
In Vitro: A Closer Look at Our Micropropagation Process
Nowadays we all depend on technological innovation to increase effectiveness in almost everything we do. The use of in vitro culture of highbush blueberry cultivars is one of the challenges The Berry That Cares is glad to achieve day by day. But if we want to fully understand what goes on during the in vitro process it is fundamental that we start with a simple definition.
According to the Biology Dictionary, “the term in vitro is associated with various biological processes that are made to occur outside the living organism.” Highly developed countries have been working with this area of biotechnology for more than 50 years. In our case, we aim to nurture the healthiest and most flavorful blueberries possible that will eventually arrive to your local market.
Where it Begins
Our dedicated team of biology engineers invest hours inside the lab researching and developing efficient processes of blueberry propagation. Every week they work on new experiments to achieve the most beneficial results within the four phases of tissue culture.
From Field to Lab
It all begins in the fields where elite plants (the most productive ones) are selected. Our microbiologists isolate and collect a tiny fragment of tissue or cell from a mother plant (often from the stem) to be cloned.
Stage 1 - Establishment
Inside our labs plant tissues are prepared and introduced into a culture medium for its growth. This jelly-like substance is full of the nutrients needed to ensure the plant growth.
Stage 2 - Micropropagation
Also called multiplication, during this stage the tissue which is already grown is sectioned to obtain diverse individuals. They are then reintroduced into the culture medium.
Stage 3 - Rooting
Different investigations are conducted to identify good environmental conditions that will increase rooting and acclimatization. Rooting refers to root growth and it is obtained with a different type of culture medium.
Stage 4 - Acclimatization
The last step of acclimatization takes place inside a greenhouse. During this stage the plant is placed on substrate to start its adaptation process.
