Synthetic Seed Production; its Relevance and Future Panorama

The synthetic seed acquaintance has been developed to use somatic embryos and/or other micropropagules as seed analogues successfully in the field or greenhouse, and their mechanical planting at a mercantile level. Synthetic seed development from somatic embryo opens up new vistas in the field of agriculture. The technology provides methods for preparation of seed analogues called synthetic seeds or artificial seeds from the micropropagules like somatic embryos, axillary shoot buds, apical shoot tips, embryogenic calli as well as protocorm or protocorm like bodies. These artificial seeds offer an important packaging system. The technique cut short lengthy choice procedure of the usual recombination breeding and can convey the advancements of biotechnology to the doorsteps of the farmer in a cost-effective manner. Synthetic seeds present a number of return, easy management, storability, compact size of propagules, and transportability. This review provided useful information for the production and utilisation of synthetic seed through encapsulation of differentiating propagules (tissue fragments with shoot primordia) for various species. The present review focuses on the technology developed, its achievements, current scenario, the limitations resisting the application of the synthetic seed technology and the future perspectives.