For the majority of the world's population, medicinal and aromatic plants are the most important source of life-saving drugs. Biotechnological tools represent important resources for selecting, multiplying and conserving the critical genotypes of medicinal plants.

In this regard, in-vitro regeneration holds tremendous potential for the production of high-quality plant-based medicines, while cryopreservation - a long-term conservation method using liquid nitrogen - provides an opportunity to conserve endangered medicinal and aromatic plants. In-vitro production of secondary metabolites in plant cell suspension cultures has been reported for various medicinal plants, and bioreactors represent a key step toward the commercial production of secondary metabolites by means of plant biotechnology.

Addressing these key aspects, the book contains 29 chapters, divided into three sections.

Section 1: In-vitro production of secondary metabolites

Section 2: In-vitro propagation, genetic transformation and germplasm conservation

Section 3: Conventional and molecular approaches

Section I

IN VIREO PRODUCTION OF SECONDARY METABOLITE

1

Production of plant secondary metabolites: current status and future prospects

2

The effects of rol genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes on morphogenesis and secondary metabolite accumulation in medicinal plants

3

Conventional and Biotechnological Approaches to Enhance Steviol Glycosides (SGs) in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

4

Effect of chemical elicitors on pentacyclic triterpenoids production in in vitro cultures of Achyranthes aspera L.

5

The current status and future applications of hairy root cultures

6

In Vitro Culture and Production of Secondary Metabolites in Centella asiatica

7

Characterization of a secondary metabolite from Aegle marmelos (vilva tree) of Western Ghats

8

Role of metabolites for the mitigation of cadmium toxicity in sorghum grown under mycorrhizal inoculated hazardous waste site

9

In vitro production of some important secondary metabolites from Zingiber species

10

Hairy root culture for in vitro production of secondary metabolites: a promising biotechnological approach

11

Ocimum gratissimum: A Review on Ethnomedicinal Properties, Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Profile

12

Phytochemical analysis with special reference to leaf saponins in Gnidia glauca (Fresen.) Gilg.

13

In vitro production of bacosides from Bacopa monnieri