if someone wants to use seedlings already prepared (seedlings grown on pots with a soil substrate) and wants to sterilize the substrate they are grown on and without killing the plants (seedlings) such that the seedlings in the pot is used further in an experiment, what is the best method? or is that not possible?
Be very careful while using any such chemicals, unless well tested under your growing conditions. Usually , we should not attempt to sterilise growing medium after planting ....
Yes, it is possible to sterilize. You may use either sodium hypochlorite or Ethanol or Calcium hypochlorite or Mercuric chloride or Hydrogen peroxide depends on the tolerance power of your seedlings. For details please go through the attached files.
Be very careful while using any such chemicals, unless well tested under your growing conditions. Usually , we should not attempt to sterilise growing medium after planting ....
A relatively safe way is to soak the seedling in water to remove the contaminated soil, bare rooting the plant. Dip the seedling in a sterilant such as ethanol or peroxide, rinse it in sterile water, and replant in sterile substrate. Note this will not kill any bacteria, fungi, etc. that have already penetrated into and infected the plant.
Dear Fisseha,
please, will you give report about your final solution and effectivity of the realisation.
Best regards, Bozena
Despite so many options , most of us favored solarisation stll the best , but will it hold good in temperate regions...
Dear Fisseha, it is an interesting question
As your intention is to use sterilized plant materials for further activities, the most easy way is to go for surface sterilization of plant materials with proper care not to kill the plant materials. We have one similar experience on strawberry.
What we did was, first we have taken plant material grown on soil medium and treated the plant material with distilled water. Then we have treated the plant material with 70% alcohol followed by three times rinsing with distilled water. Then we have treated with 0.2% SDS mixed with 0.5% Clorox aseptically. Then the plant materials were rinsed with distilled water 5 times aseptically in a laminar flow chamber. Following sterilization of the explants, we have done our biotechnological activities. Still now we are not facing any problem. It works Fisseha. Have a wonderful time.
1. Next time, sterilize the seeds first and germinate them in sterilized medium boxes. That can save you a lot of work later on.
2. We had sterilezed leaf disc from greenhouse-grown plants for genetic transformation. It was ok. However, I am not sure for the 'whole seedling' de-contamination. It might damage the young roots and kill the plants.
I dont think , there is any methodology available to sterilize the plant , suspected to be infected( Pathogens entered inside the plant ) with some pathogens, unless some systemic chemicals are used . Simply sterilizing the growing medium will not be sufficient to ward off any such incidence. If pathogens are outside the plant body , then only, setrilization offers any possibility....
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