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tissue culture

Does anyone know what exactly tissue culture is? cause they sure do say it a lot on Carnivorous plant websites.
 
Thats when they plant seeds or leaf cuttins(?) in agar... that is nutriend rich jelly... and they put that in a sterile environment (vile, or baby food jar type deal), then, they put that in a fridge type thing... maybe its warm... that would make sense... but anyway, thats a way to get good plants quickly...
 
Tissue culture is a method of artificially reproducing plants.

In a flytraps case, a leaf cutting, of valuable seed is placed in a nutrien solution that is loaded with chemicals that alter the behavior of the plants cells, causing rapid growth, division, and so forth.

one seed, if left in TC for long enough, will form a single plant. If left in culture long enough, that plant will split, and keep on splitting, forming clumps of flytraps, and it will keep doing so until the plant is taken out of culture.

TC is sterile, so when the plants come out, they must be hardened off. Once that is done, they are ready for whatever fate they may have!
 
What are these chemicals that the plants are loaded with? Can we use those chemicals on non tc plants to make them grow faster?

larry
 
http://www.kitchenculturekit.com/Index.htm

I am not real sure about doing this to a plant that has is already grown....but it might be worth a shot. Just use something that you have multiple of, in case it doesn't work out.
 
If i'm not mistaken, it is agar... right? This is the stuff taht scientist wipe swabs of germs on to make them grow... only, obviously, a different set of nutrients are found it it... You know thos petri dishes with bacteria colonies? THAT stuff... I"m not sure if you can grow a plant in it... You'd have to hold the CLEANED roots in place as the hot gelly solidifies. Would the heat perhaps harm the plant? I dont know the melting point of the powder, or the solidification point of the gelly... Agar is expensive too, so if you do get some you wouldnt want to use it on something thats already grown...
 
Ya it might work ,but it probly cause rampid bacteria growth
among other bad things.
 
I agree, adding agar to a non-sterile environment is just asking for a science project to explode right in your pot!
 
NEVER do that unless you have the area sterile!!

Everything that comes into contact with your medium will grow...fungus, bacteria

It will kill whatever you were trying to make...or you would have to toss it before it spread.
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  • #10
Tissue culture is a method of plant propagation in which a sterilized piece of plant tissue (leaf, root, seed) is placed in a sterile, nutrient rich environment and its growth is controlled with plant growth regulators (plant hormones). You don't always use agar. Basically, one mixes up a mixture of water, sugar, and nutrients, plus hormones to change the plants growth (make cells multiply in a certain way, ie make roots). This mixture, called media, is placed in a container with a media suportive material, usually agar. I personally have found that other materials (cotton, PEAT MOSS, peat/perlite) work a lot better than agar as the plants are more easily able to soak up liquid and nutrients. You then sterilize these cultures in a microwave or pressure cooker, add a sterilized plant part and place them under growlights. The plant cuttings (explants) now have a nearly perfect environment. Using this method you can produce a million plants from one plant in one year, and they are all genetically identical (clones). Depending on the plant, you use different parts of the plant, generally seed is the easiest to use, however droseras work excellently from leaf cuttings. Let me know (through email or messaging) if you would like to try and I will try to get you started.
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Noah
 
  • #11
Noah,

What's Murashige and Skoog? Is this TC media similar to agar?
 
  • #12
Hi Larry,

Murashige and Skoog media is a mixture of nutrients that has been used for tc media for a few decades, it was invented in the 60's I think by two scientists called (guess what???) Murashige and Skoog!!! It makes an excellent tc media when diluted to 1/2 normal strength, it is what I usually use.

Media and Agar are NOT the same thing. Media is the sugar/nutrient/hormone solution used to feed the plantlets. Agar is used to support the media to keep the plant cuttings from sinking to the bottom of the liquid. It turns the media into a gel. I usually use cotton or peat moss to "support" the media as it more readily gives up the media to the plantlets, thus producing faster growth. Here the cotton or peat moss soaks up the media and gives it to the plantlets. Does this make sense? Hope it does
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Noah
 
  • #13
do they sell murashige and skoog at hardware stores or plant nurseries?
 
  • #14
No, although several online science supply places sell it. There are also media mixes you can make yourelf if you don't want to get the prepared stuff.

Noah
 
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