Bleach
Jeffrey Michael Stein (steinjef@student.msu.edu)
Fri, 18 Nov 1994 20:29:31 -0500 (EST)
> For my in vitro cultures (Lentibulariaceae), I use a 0.5% (w/v)
> solution of hypochlorite (NaOCl) for a few minutes (until seed coat is
> bleached). Then I sow the seed on sterile media.
>
>
For those of you non-tissue culture types. NaOCl is availible as
commercial bleach (5% here in the U.S.).. Therefor a 10% bleach (in
water) solution is basically the same thing. And for those of you
without access to an autoclave, baking the soil will do a pretty good
job killing off the bad stuff. I'm not sure of the temperature and
time. A possible drawback to baking is that the heat REALLY dries out
the soil and may caused some unwanted chemical reactions. But I'm
uncertain of the latter. Steam cooking is a messy alternative.. And
again, the times are unknown.
"Sterilization for the normal person"
JMS