Home Tissue Culture, Micro Propagation

I've been interested in doing my own TC of Hostas, I bought a book on it, but the price of doing it is quite expensive, if I bought all the lab equipment that they recommened. but I recently found a home tissue culture site that seems to be inexpensive in comparison , if anyone is interested in this, I can post the info.

Hi hostajim1,

I'm also in the process of starting my own little TC. I've been talking to a guy locally who's done it for years and he gave me some tips so it's even cheaper. He said you can use the Gerber baby food jars or better yet those plastic sample jars from a medical lab which are apparently easier and very cheap (unused of course). The hood can be made even cheaper from a clear plastic container with the side cutout and I'm just looking for a small hepa filter. You were probably talking about this site: http://www.kitchenculturekit.com/index.htm - some great info and links. Here's a helpful link: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tisscult/tcintro.html

I'd be interested in anyone else's experience, suggestions and recommendations. I don't see why not having a Tissue Culture forum on here.

growin, thanks for info. I think it's inevitable that there will be a need for a tissue culture forum, with all the people getting into it now that it is getting less costly. I've seen a hood made out of an old aquarium. and there's another supplier of TC supplies www.caissonlabs.com that I was checking out. I'll check out the other one you posted. hostajim1

Please keep this going I would like to know what you learn.
Joan

I'm lurking, too.

The reason I'm going into doing TC is because I have very limited space, I'm broke and there's a need for the bananas I'll be producing. When you do TC small you run a lower risk of failure because you can just throw out a batch if it goes bad, sterilize everything and start a new one. There have been some large TC labs setup for nurseries and then they get something going through the batches and it gets costly. There are pre-made media mixes for plants ie. Hosta, Orchid, Banana, etc so why mix it yourself - just save time & a mess. On the kitchenculturekit site there is a few hoods that show you can use one of those storage plastic tupperware type boxes, cut the side out and there's your hood. Just have some good light on the outside and use a clear plastic one. In the past I've looked at it like lab work and how sterile and hospital-like. Now I'm looking at it like a run of cuttings with a few more gizmos. For me importing tissue-culture liners can be costly due to the border so I'm gonna see how well I can do it myself here. Winter is a down-time anyways. I'm interested in hearing anyone elses experiences with TC. Thanks!

growin, I will be using the pre-mix to start. but I'm thinking I will be doing a lot of hostas, so i will eventually make my own. from what I understand there is 3 stages to TC each with a different mix. so to keep costs down I'll make my own after I know what I'm doing. I found out with buying the chemicals from Super-grow that making your own is so much cheaper than buying a ready mix. I've been making my own rooting mix all year IBA,NAA, with great success. also when I make my own I know how fresh it is, compared to buying pre-mix. one example: A friend of mine bought a cloning box with the a pint bottle of rooting solution $30.00 that the retailer sold her with the box. I looked on the bottle and the active ingredients were .1% IBA, .5%NAA, the rest H20. I told her I could make the same solution, this is an approximation, 50cents. that can be the difference of making your own verses ready made. I know that the rooting powders,gels, run about $5 to $6 for a small jar. the active ingredients are the same .1%IBA,99% talcum powder.

This message was edited Oct 18, 2005 8:20 AM

Jim,

Would you start another thread and go into more detail about the rooting mixes you make, please? I would love to learn more about them!!

Donna

hostajim1, I'd also like to learn how you do your own rooting mix. I'm in the process of collecting equipment for TC. What are you going to use for viewing while working - microscope? A neighbour suggested I use an Exacto knife with an scalpel-like tip. I'm just having trouble finding sources for the equipment and materials on this side of the border.

growin, did you check out the kitchenculturekits Carol sells a starting kit, as far as using an exacto-knife, can you sterilize it like you would a scalpel. I'll be the first one to cut corners if I can. but I don't know on that one. anyway. check out that site she'll most likely have that info. I'll find out about the microscope at the workshop.

dstartz, Donna, I'll start a new thread on medium after I check out a few more places. if anyone is doing this don't be afraid to step in. hostajim1

They have small quantities at reasonable prices. Some items such as Succinic acid costs nearly $100/libra elswhere. When you are dealing in parts per million a whole pound is a ridiculous amount. http://www.plantmedia.com/

This company has small quantities at reasonable prices. Some items such as Succinic acid costs nearly $100/libra elswhere. When you are dealing in parts per million a whole pound is a ridiculous amount.
http://www.plantmedia.com/

Please look at Dr. Carol Stiff's website.... kitchenculturekit.com she has some good info on plant micropropagation at home. I use this method and it works great. I really encourage the use of PPM in your media to prevent fungal and bacteria infections of you plant cuttings. She also has access to smaller quantities and gives discounts for mater gardeners and teachers and other people if you ask. Great Doc to bounce ideas off of.

Anyone that is running an at home lab, I invite you to our tissue culture list servs, also located on Dr. Stiff's website.

Do yourself a favor if you are going to get into micropropagation, dont buy the expensive books. Get on the list and ask questions. There is a lot of free info people have on their own sites and will share it with you if you have the itch. I can even walk you through some of the problems too. I am in year two, my college major is mirroring my research, I am shooting at the masters level presently.

Hope to hear from anyone interested!

Happy new year folks..

Chris

I'm lurking with you dstarz....those aggies do almost everything I think!

Edited to add I'm not an aggie, but I don't think there's much related to plants they ain't done! My greatest fear is that they are going to start cloning more aggies!LOL

Keep up the info guys--we are listening!

This message was edited Dec 31, 2005 10:59 PM

Jim,

What hostas are you doing? I am using some generic purple one I found at a place I was staying at in NC, I got a ton of seed pods came home and put them in 1/2 MS and then let them do their thing. I then transferred them to a 1/2 ms + 8mL of 2ip media. I got good shoot multiplication. I am going to keep it going until I get a few ready for grow out.

I am a Gator, I need to clone more of us....


Chris

Botanyguy, right now I'm just trying to get the protocol down. I'm not going to do my expensive ones till I know I'm not going to through them in the garbage. my collection is over 100 cultivars. several are for breeding purposes. I have a lot of seeds going from what I hybridized last summer.

Which protocol are you using? I have a few different ones for hosta.

Have you had any luck using any of the Phytotech pre made stage I. II or III media?

Chris