In vitro plant culture and its contribution to local agriculture

Abstract

Ecuador, a megadiverse country, hosts valuable native plants such as naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) and tree tomato (Solanum betaceum), both with food and medicinal applications. Nevertheless, the accessibility to high-quality seeds and plants that promote efficient production and their affordable prices for local farmers remains a challenge. In this context, the use of biotechnological techniques, like in vitro plant tissue culture, emerges as an alternative for propagating these significant varieties. This essay details the activities performed in the outreach project “Soberanía Alimentaria Checa – Cultivo in vitro” and its contribution towards a sustainable agriculture. Through in vitro culture techniques, robust naranjilla and tree tomato plants have been successfully propagated and distributed to the Checa community with the support of students and faculty members from the Biotechnology and Agronomy programs at USFQ. This achievement underscores how biotechnology, education, and commitment can significantly contribute to socially and ecologically responsible projects over time, benefiting both small-scale farmers and the environment.