OUR LABORATORY SERVICES

All the photographs of tissue cultures present on these pages are of plants we placed in vitro with material (seeds or explants) we obtained or that were provided by our customers.

 

WE DO NOT SELL OUR TISSUE CULTURES. TISSUE CULTURES ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE CUSTOMERS THAT PAID FOR US TO ESTABLISH THEIR PLANTS IN VITRO.

 

We sell laboratory services. Our goal is to provide you with the best scientific techniques available in order to place your plant or plants of interest into sterile tissue culture and clone them.

 

Our process for the propagation of seeds or plant materials is as follows:

 

1. We will select the appropriate media based upon the genera and species of plant submitted. Check out our links on the home page.

 

2. The seed or plant material will be surface sterilized and placed into culture. Surface sterilization is based upon the plant material as well as the actual type of culture to be performed (e.g. meristem culture, seed, explant, etc.).

 

3. Cultures are monitored for germination/growth as well as contamination in our light and temperature controlled facility. Duplicate cultures are maintained to insure against potential losses due to contamination. We utilize antibiotics and antifungal agents in our media as warranted.

 

4. Seedlings and clones are further selected for multiplication and grow out. The customer can elect to have us grow mixed clones or select clones.

 

5. The customer is contacted to arrange shipment once we produce 25 plants or a previously agreed upon quantity. Shipping charges are in addition to establishment and multiplication charges.

 

Special Service: In addition to the standard services outlined above, we offer the following options:

 

INDUCED POLYPLOIDY - treatment with 20-50mg/L of colchicine or 20-40mg/L of oryzalin which can cause plant material to double the number of chromosomes. In horticultural plants such as orchids, this often leads to an increased flower size. While there can be no guarantee of the effects of these chemicals on carnivorous plants, it is conceivable we could produce clones with exaggerated foliar characteristics.

 

GIBBERELLIC ACID - obtained from fungal cultures, gibberellic acid acts as a plant growth regulator and can help to stimulate seed germination in recalcitrant species. Gibberellic acid also promotes stem elongation.

 

SMOKE WATER - our lab uses Super Smoke Plus Cape seed primer developed by Dr. Neville Brown and avaialble from Fijnbosch Farme Trust in Cape Town, South Africa. Certain seed benefit from pre-treatment with smoke water to break dormancy.

 

CUSTOM ROOTING - our greenhouse has a dedicated propagation area for the rooting of Nepenthes cuttings. This area maintains bottom heat of 80°F (27°C) and a misting cycle of 15 seconds every 7 minutes. Our substrate is a coarse laterite-like material that is well draining yet retains moisture and promotes germination. We treat all cuttings with hormones to induce the fastest formation of adventitious roots with generally good success. You supply fresh material or feel free to inquire about rooting from our stock plants - we have a large number of Nepenthes species and hybrids from which to choose.

A typical rooted cutting.

 

A section of the propagation area.