Plant Tissue Culture Research and Development in Ethiopia: A Case Study on Current Status, Opportunities, and Challenges
Table 1
List of basic equipment available in plant tissue culture laboratories at Ethiopian agricultural research institutes.
Equipment
Number of equipment in the research institute
NABC
MARC
JARC
DZAR
ARARI
ORARI
SARI
TARI
Media preparation and autoclaving unit
Autoclaves
2 + 1
3 + 1
2 + 8
1 + 1
2 + 2
1 + 1
1 + 1
4
Precision balances
2 + 1
2
3
2
1 + 2
2 + 1
1 + 1
4
PH meter
1 + 4
2 + 1
2 + 4
2
2 + 3
2 + 2
1 + 1
2
Water purification apparatus
1
—
—
1
—
—
1
1
Refrigerated centrifuge
—
—
—
1
—
—
—
—
Deep freezers (−20°C)
1
1 + 1
—
1
1
—
—
2
Fridge/freezer comb
2 + 1
—
6
2
2
—
2
1
Hot plate with stirrer
3
2
2
3
2
3
2
2
Micropipettes (sets)
1
3
5
1
2
1
Microwave oven
1
—
1
1
2
—
1
Rotary shaker
1 + 1
—
4
1
—
—
1
1
Water distiller (single)
—
2 + 1
2 + 8
2
1 + 1
1 + 2
1
2
Water distiller (double)
1
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Deep freezer (−80°C)
—
—
—
1
—
—
—
—
Working area and growth room unit
Laminar flow hood
3 + 2
5 + 2
6
3
3
3 + 1
2
3 + 2
Fume hood
—
—
2
—
—
1
1
—
Stereomicroscope
—
2
—
—
1
—
—
—
Dissecting microscope
1
—
—
3
3
—
1
—
Tissue culture growth rooms
2
1
7
-
3
2
1
1
Other accessories
Ice maker
—
—
1
—
—
—
—
—
Indexing facility
—
—
—
—
1
—
—
—
Screen house
1
1
—
—
2
—
3
18
Bioreactor
2 + 1
—
25
—
1
—
—
Shakers
3
3 + 1
2
1
Soil steam sterilizer
—
—
—
—
1
—
—
—
Number of nonfunctional equipment in each institute; NABC: National Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center; MARC: Melkassa Agricultural Research Center; JARC: Jimma Agricultural Research Center; DZARC: Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center; ARARI: Amhara Regional Agriculture Research Institute; ORARI: Oromia Regional Agriculture Research Institute; SARI: Southern Nations, Nationalities and People Region Agricultural Research Institute; TARI: Tigray Regional Agriculture Researcher Institute.
