Course Overview

Commercial Production of Gerbera Seedlings Through Tissue Culture

Course Code: MC55006
Course Title: Commercial Production of Gerbera Seedlings Through Tissue Culture
Start Date: September 20, 2025 📅
Duration: 26 hours (13 weeks, 2 hours per class) ⏰
Mode: Blended (primarily in-person, occasional online sessions) 🌐
Class Size: 20 participants 👥
Course Equivalent: 2 Credit Hours
Course Fee: 5,000 BDT (3,000 BDT with 40% early registration discount) 💸

Course Description 🚀
Commercial Production of Gerbera Through Tissue Culture (MC55006) addresses the rising demand for high-quality Gerbera plants in the $53.9B global floriculture market, projected to grow at 5.9% CAGR by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2022). In India, a 2021 ICAR-IIHR survey notes 65% of growers seek tissue culture training to enhance production. This course equips learners with practical skills in Gerbera micropropagation, fostering expertise for floriculture careers and agri-entrepreneurship in Bangladesh’s growing biotech sector. 🌟

Syllabus 📚\

• Week 1: Intro to Gerbera Tissue Culture – Floriculture overview, benefits. Activities: Market discussion. Resources: ICAR-IIHR reports. 🌸\

• Week 2: Gerbera Biology – Morphology, life cycle, varietal selection. Activities: Varietal quiz. Resources: Plant Propagation by Tissue Culture. 📖\

• Week 3: Lab Design – Layout, clean zones, infrastructure. Activities: Lab planning. Resources: Laminar airflow, autoclave. 🧪\

• Week 4: Equipment & Safety – Autoclave, pH meter, safety protocols. Activities: Equipment demo. Resources: PPE, culture vessels. 🧤\

• Week 5: Media Preparation – MS media, growth regulators. Activities: Media formulation lab. Resources: Agar, sucrose. 🧫\

• Week 6: Tissue Culture – Explant sterilization, inoculation. Activities: Multiplication lab. Resources: Laminar airflow. 🌱\

• Week 7: Incubation – Light, temperature, humidity control. Activities: Growth monitoring. Resources: Incubators. 🌡️\

• Week 8: Disease Management – Contaminant detection, control. Activities: Contamination lab. Resources: Diagnostic tools. 🔍\

• Week 9: Hardening – Acclimatization, greenhouse setup. Activities: Hardening practice. Resources: Potting mixtures. 🏡\

• Week 10: Field Transfer – Transplanting, soil management. Activities: Field visit. Resources: Partner nurseries. 🚜\

• Week 11: Entrepreneurship – Nursery setup, cost analysis. Activities: Business plan workshop. Resources: BHTPA schemes. 💼\

• Week 12: Market Development – Marketing, export strategies. Activities: Market linkage plan. Resources: Export guidelines. 📈\

• Week 13: Project Writing – Nursery proposal presentation. Activities: Proposal submission. Resources: Project templates. 📝

Learning Outcomes ✅
Participants will:

• Apply tissue culture techniques for Gerbera propagation. 🌱

• Prepare and sterilize media per lab protocols. 🧫

• Use and maintain tissue culture equipment. 🛠️

• Manage contaminants and disorders in culture. 🔍

• Optimize incubation conditions for plantlet growth. 🌡️

• Harden and transfer plantlets to field conditions. 🏡

• Develop entrepreneurial plans for Gerbera nurseries. 💼

• Align with floriculture industry standards. ✅

Target Audience 🎓\

• Students in agriculture, horticulture, biotechnology.

• Nursery managers, floriculture professionals, agripreneurs.

Entry Requirements 📋\

• HSC or equivalent; preferably in biotechnology, agriculture, horticulture.

• Basic knowledge of plant biology, microbiology, lab safety.

• Minimum age: 19 years.

Career Pathways 🚀\

• Tissue culture specialists, nursery managers.

• Floriculture entrepreneurs, export consultants.

• Roles in ACI, local nurseries, government projects.

• MSc/PhD in plant biotechnology, floriculture.

• Professional Certificate in Gerbera Tissue Culture.