the tube and lid with one hand with the lid protect-
ing the tube opening. This is a skill you will develop
over time and is worth practicing dry before working
with live plants. It is ok to pre-loosen the lid with
two hands before working with live plants. Just do
not take anything out of the hood when working
with open tubes and do not lean in over them. Put
tools back in sanitizer if you need your hands free.
With the cutting on the plate directly in line with
the forceps, not crossways like chopsticks, lift the
node and place directly down the center of the tube.
Replace forceps in sanitizer and close lid onto tube,
if you are using screw tops turn back about ¼ turn
from tightened. There will be room in the threads for
the plant to exchange air at the same time reducing
the hazard of contamination.
Continue until each tube contains one cutting.
Wipe off plate and drain sanitizer puddle after every
few cuttings, when the debris can get in the way. Op-
tionally, wrap the neck of the tubes with tape, where
the lid meets the tube, with the plastic wrap as an
extra layer of protection. It may be necessary to spool
out some of the wrap before using it on the jar.
Grow the cultures under a small fluorescent fix-
ture like a T5 or LED in a clean area at about four to
26
six watts per square foot. Maintain temperature in
the mid-70’s and around 50% humidity. Evaluate the
tubes for contamination that may appear as cloudi-
ness, growth in the liquid surface, or odd coloration.
Remove spoiled tubes and clean elsewhere. Plants
should take a few weeks to grow to three or more
times their original size and develop leaves in vitro
(in tubes).
Tube clones are ready to root when leaves have
appeared inside the tube and the stem in the solution
has gotten wider. Inspect and clean all apparently
clean cuttings by emptying into a colander in the sink
and rinsing gently to remove any sugar solution. Re-
move yellow leaves and use a sharp blade to make a
45° cut across bottom of cutting. The widened stem
of the tube cuttings should appear rough as a result
of the natural rooting hormone in the cutting conflict-
ing with the branching hormone of the growth solu-
tion. We have also rinsed tube clones in a solution of
50ppm chlorine where there was risk of contamina-
tion.
Root your tube-grown clones in a high humidity
chamber with thermostat-controlled bottom heat and
gentle air circulation. Start by using the rooting plugs
and system you have used for regular rooting with an
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April 2018