Has anyone else dealt with static electricity on Arabidopsis plates? The static causes the seedlings to root upwards. Passing your finger along the top of the plate causes the upward root to follow your finger and move. Sometimes the entire seedling will lift off of the media and stick to the lid of the plate. Since the seedling is not rooting properly, it makes drug selection difficult.
Media: 1/2MS + 0.6% agar + BASTA
You can use dryer sheets to wipe down the plates to discharge static. Also, make sure that your plates aren't too dried out and that the agar is still soft enough to allow the roots to actually penetrate the surface.
I don't know if you are scattering the seeds or placing them one at a time, but you can gently press them onto the surface of the medium.
Good luck!
The best way to deal with static charges is by increasing air humidity. So if you're not afraid of contamination, you should put a humidifier in the culture room where you grow the Arabidopsis.
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