CURRENT STATUS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANT TISSUE CULTURE IN NIGERIA

Plant tissue culture has emerged as a transformative biotechnology tool for crop improvement, genetic conservation, disease-free plant production, and sustainable agricultural development. Globally, tissue culture techniques have significantly contributed to agricultural productivity by enabling rapid multiplication of lite genotypes, conservation of endangered plant species, and development of stress-tolerante crop varieties. In Nigeria, agriculture remains a critical pillar of economic growth and food security, yet crop productivity is persistently constrained by poor-quality planting materials, pest and disease outbreaks, low adoption of improved technologies, and climate change impacts. Although Nigeria has recorded increasing research activities in plant biotechnology over the last two decades, practical adoption and commercialization of plant tissue culture remain relatively limited. This review evaluates the current state of plant tissue culture research, infrastructure development, institutional contributions, challenges, and emerging opportunities within Nigeria's agricultural system. Major limitations identified include inadequate laboratory infrastructure, unstable electricity supply, limited technical expertise, weak industry-academia collaboration, and insufficient government funding. Emerging opportunities include commercial micropropagation, germplasm conservation, climate-resilient crop development, pharmaceutical biotechnology, and integration of artificial intelligence for protocol optimization. The paper concludes that strategic investment, biotechnology policy reform, capacity building, and commercialization partnerships are essential to fully exploit plant tissue culture technology for agricultural transformation and food security in Nigeria.