FEATURESTORY
by Bill Graham
Easy Plant Tissue Culture Clones
G
rowers have discovered the secrets that the horticulture
industry has known for decades, that plant tissue culture
is the most efficient method of producing pest-free clones.
Dedicated mother plants are eliminated and new plants
are generated in jars or from their rooted plants thereof.
The secret to plant tissue culture is using sugar as
an energy source. The tiny cuttings absorb sugar, nu-
trients and vitamins directly through their surface and
grow in a self-contained environment while hormones
in the media encourage branching and keep the new
nodes tight. A proper vessel will keep the plants small
and disease-free, saving time, light and money. Preser-
vatives should be added to the medium to reduce the
possibility of mold. The new branches and nodes can
become the sources of thousands of cuttings.
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The following items should be included in a
tissue culture kit:
◆ ◆ Culture vessels with lids-glass or polypropylene
◆ ◆ 8 inch tweezers
◆ ◆ Scalpel or paring knife
◆ ◆ Shallow 8 inch plate for cutting
◆ ◆ Mason jar for washing plants
Preparing the Working Environment
Using a sterile technique begins with the setup of
a clean handling and plant growing room with smooth
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April 2018