[01] Temam Abrar, Department of Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. [02] Haniza (Zhul-Hijja) Temam, Department of Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. [03] Wesila Redwan, Department of Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is one of the populous nations of Africa where 80% of its inhabitants rely on agriculture as a source of income, which is also the basis for the national economy. But, long-standing traditional farming practices could not bring the desired agricultural productivity and thus hamper the development of national economy. In this regard, biotechnology particularly tissue culture is the likely opportunity for improving agricultural productivity in the Ethiopian agricultural system, thereby boosting the national economy. Indeed, in the past conventional selective breeding and cross-fertilization of plants and animals played a vital role in agricultural productivity. However, these approaches have limitations in handling contemporary and emerging challenges unless they are supported by modern biotechnological tools. Yet, many developing countries including Ethiopia could not get benefits from modern biotechnological tools and products. To resolve this, the Ethiopian Government recently set national biotechnology road map, consequently designing and implementing policies and strategies related to modern biotechnology, prioritizing the agricultural sectors. To this effect, national universities, research institutes and some private enterprises, are playing a promising role in producing skilled manpower and started conducting research in biotechnology. Nationally, Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute (EARI), Tigray Biotechnology Center (TBC) and Addis Ababa University (AAU) take the leading role particularly in doing researches related to plant tissue culture and at the same time disseminating the research output to the stakeholders especially unthinkable quantity of diseases-free plantlets. Nowadays, Ethiopian government have creating public awareness and engagement as well as in building public confidence, trust and acceptance of plant tissue culture in the country. Currently sugarcane production in Ethiopia has given due attention and under great expansion work, this is also allied with an environment-friendly plant tissue culture for large scale production of sugarcane plantlets to feed the sugar industries. This is promising opportunities for Ethiopia’s Sugar industries.

Ethiopia, Plant Tissue Culture, Biotechnology, In vitro, Agriculture, Explants

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