...no subject...

martin zevenbergen (Martin.Zevenbergen@ALGEM.PT.WAU.NL)
Fri, 29 Nov 1996 16:23:27 +0000

Dear Phil,

>anyone know of the molecular mass, so that I can work out how much to add to
>my quantity of water? I've been told 1ppm, but without knowing molar mass I'm
>a bit stumped as to how to figure this out...(I'm using it to germinate
>B.Gigantea by the way...) or am I making this too complicated?

Normally with 1 ppm is not meant 1 molecule on 1 million (1.000.000)
molecules dissolvent, but 1 mass part on 1 million mass parts dissolvent
(normally water), so 1 ppm is 1 mg in 1 litre of water (a million mg's is 1
kg). For Gibberellin, I would use a bit more, something like 100-1000 ppm, I
normally use 500 ppm.

>(2) Any hints on how to germinate Drosophyllum? Does Pietropaulo's approach
>of slicing bits off the seed work? Also, should I sow in early spring to have
>stable plantlets in time for the summer dormancy, or late summer?

Yes, it works, but it's not at all necessary, my seeds also germinate without
this. The chance for infection increases with this technique.
I heard that late summer is preferable for sowing, but my Drosophyllum was
sown in february and it still lives, so you can just try it now, or in a few
months.

Good luck!

Martin Zevenbergen
Dept. of Plant taxonomy
Agricultural University
P.O. box 8010
6700 ED Wageningen
The Netherlands
martin.zevenbergen@algem.pt.wau.nl