A number of media have been formulated over times like Gamborg media, White's media, wood plant media etc but what make MS media the first choice for plant tissue culture researchers.
1. That translates into that "the components of the formula from MS medium developed by plant scientists Toshio Murashige and Folke K. Skoog in 1962 is most suitable for tissue culture of most plant tissues.
2. However, for some species, other formulate medium might be better than MS medium. For example, the Sigma company is selling specific medium for "Orchid":
From Sigma: "We offer two proven media formulations for the tissue culture of the Orchid family. Of the approximately 25,000 Orchidaceae, many species are rare or endangered, others are prized horticulturally, and many are used in traditional medicine. Because orchids are difficult to grow from seed, Knudson C medium is used to support seed germination in tissue culture. This media is frequently supplemented with 100-150 g banana, or 100-200 mL coconut water, and 2 g of vegetable charcoal per liter.
1. That translates into that "the components of the formula from MS medium developed by plant scientists Toshio Murashige and Folke K. Skoog in 1962 is most suitable for tissue culture of most plant tissues.
2. However, for some species, other formulate medium might be better than MS medium. For example, the Sigma company is selling specific medium for "Orchid":
From Sigma: "We offer two proven media formulations for the tissue culture of the Orchid family. Of the approximately 25,000 Orchidaceae, many species are rare or endangered, others are prized horticulturally, and many are used in traditional medicine. Because orchids are difficult to grow from seed, Knudson C medium is used to support seed germination in tissue culture. This media is frequently supplemented with 100-150 g banana, or 100-200 mL coconut water, and 2 g of vegetable charcoal per liter.
Murashige and Skoog media is the first choice as its having balanced composition over other media. The composition of macro, micro nutrients, vitamins and organics are highly suitable for majority of the plant species. However, for specific plant species and based on type of ex-plant (meristem /leaf/petal/anther/ovule/embryo/seed) we have to choose the optimum media. for example most of the ovule cultures B5 media is suitable as it is having higher concentrations of Vitamins than MS media. Modified MS media also available for different purpose. So based on our plant, ex-plant and objective we have to choose the suitable media.
Actually, each explants has different requirements of macro, micro nutrients and vitamins. And also different varieties with same crop have different requirements of nutrients.
I am agree with Ravindra K Kurimella statement. MS medium is widely used in PTC because of its having balanced nutrients and most of the crops are grown well.
The nutritional requirements of in vitro growing cultures are vary from explant to explant, plant spp. to spp., But if we want very good and repetitive results, so we need to standardize each elements (Macro, Micro, trace and vit. and organics).
Moreover, This medium is good for micropropagation of Few hundred plants. Especially, when we are planning for commercial production (development of plants in millions), we need to standardized each components/ elements in deep.
Murashige and Skoog have managed preparing a medium which is contains 'All organic and inorganic elements In a living plant cell (in primary and secondary meritems)' basically at first (in early 1960s). It can be mentioned as modification for many other media, from MS, for many other plants in laboratories. MS is basic medium in plant tissue culture. Regards.
MS medium is the best choice for in vitro studies especially in tree fruits micro propagation. I always prefer this medium for its balanced nutritional composition required for cell culture
Addition to Pati and Ravindra, and all mention, MS medium is more suitable use especially in pilot experiment since it has required nutritional composition for giving preliminary data especially in new plants that haven't any information to start. On the other hand, there are other media used for callus cultures or special purposes
Murashige and Skoog medium (or MSO orMS0 (MS-zero)) is a plant growth mediumused in the laboratories for cultivation of plantcell culture. MSO was invented by plant scientists Toshio Murashige and Folke K. Skoog in 1962 during Murashige's search for a new plant growth regulator. A number behind the letters MS is used to indicate the sucrose concentration of the medium. For example, MS0 contains no sucrose and MS20 contains 20 g/l sucrose. Along with its modifications, it is the most commonly used medium in plant tissue culture experiments in laboratorium.[1]
As Skoog's doctoral student, Murashige originally set out to find an as-yet undiscovered growth hormone present in tobacco juice. No such component was discovered; instead, analysis of juiced tobacco and ashed tobacco revealed higher concentrations of specific minerals in plant tissues than were previously known. A series of experiments demonstrated that varying the levels of these nutrients enhanced growth substantially over existing formulations. It was determined that nitrogen in particular enhanced growth of tobacco in tissue culture.i think it s first choise media that can use for tissue culture.
From our experience, it seems that MS medium if a balanced formula can support tissues without toxicity. However MS medium can be replaced by other media depending on plant species.
MS media well know as basal media for plant tissue culture studies, supplies all the essential elements such as macro, micro nutrients in highly balanced composition. So it supports invitro growth of (except few plant which are very exacting in their nutritional requirements) almost all plants. MS supplemented with hormones and other growth factors is a highly desirable for controlled growth. But depends on the plant species working upon and the exact growth requirements one can select most suitable media apart from MS basal medium.
MS media contain balanced concentrations of all the necessarily required salts for optimum plant growth under in vitro conditions. It is considered as a perfect culture media combination for tissue culture of various plant species by using several explants types. Therefore, it is most frequently used for plant tissue culture.
It is interesting question. Original Murashige and Skoog medium cotains high sucrose concentration and hormone. This medium has been developed for growth of unorganised callus mass with key parameter as fresh weight, but not cell proliferation and not plant growth. MS salt contain 7 macronutrients, to compare with 6 what plant require. The extra macro ion (chloride) has even highr concentration as phosphate. The simple reason of such high concentration is involvement of chloride in formation of highly vacuoleted cells. See:
Geilfus, C. M. (2018). Chloride: from nutrient to toxicant. Plant and Cell Physiology, 59(5), 877-886.
Micronutrients composition also is not optimal for plant cells, but benefical fro formation of highly vacuolated cells,
Of course, this medium can be used as optimal for callus growth, but may be not so optimal for other process.
Here is description of nutrional requirements of the plants:
Hewitt EJ (1963) The essential nutrient elements: requirements and interactions in plants. In: Steward FC (ed), Plant Physiology, Vol. III. Academic Press, Inc, NewYork, pp 137-360.
Hewitt EJ (1966) Sand and water culture methods used in the study of plant nutrition. England: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Farnham Royl. Bucks.
In addition, one also have to consider all nutrients serve as co-factors of certain process in plant development and contents of nutrients and ratio between key component were dependent form stage of development both in soil and in vitro. For effective regulation of plant growth and morphgenetic responses precise design of medium for each stage is required. Nutrients composition what is optimal for callus induction does not optimal for morphogenesis and far from optimal for rooting of de novo formed plantlets.
The best way is to have 2-3 different basal medium composition for each stage of the cultivation.
But to do this one have to take into account physiology of certain plants, function of each nutrients and other conditions.
Of course, one can use single medium and partially compensate sub-optimality by different hormones,