KS5 Micropropagation and cloning

Pupils use sterile techniques to propagate cauliflower explants in sterile media. The uses of cloning as a tool of conservation to protect further collection of threatened plants are also considered, along with the limitations and disadvantages of cloning.

Pupils visit conservation projects in the gardens to compare approaches to conserving plant biodiversity.

This session makes up a half day or part of a full day visit that is tailored to suit the needs of your group and is planned in detail with a Wakehurst teacher prior to the visit. One other workshop makes up a full day visit.

Learning outcomes

Educational visits at Wakehurst support and enhance the curriculum offered in schools and colleges. We aim to give pupils opportunities that are difficult or impossible to create in the school or college environment.

We design our sessions to match the learning outcomes in the national curriculum and exam board specifications.

This session offers pupils the opportunity to:

• Use micropropagation techniques.
• Investigate totipotency in plants.
• Use sterile techniques, to propagate explants of cauliflower in sterile media.
• Explore the uses of cloning as a tool of conservation to protect further collection of threatened plants, and to increase numbers of severely threatened species.
• Consider the limitations and disadvantages of cloning.
• Learn about different strategies for conserving plant diversity.

Curriculum links 

This KS5 visit supports and enhances the curriculum offered in schools and colleges.