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MINERAL OIL OVERLAY FOR CONSERVATION OF PLANT TISSUE CULTURES
Author(s) -
Caplin Samuel M.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1959.tb07019.x
Subject(s) - subculture (biology) , biology , tissue culture , oxygen , mineral oil , nutrient , photosynthesis , botany , plant growth , bacterial growth , bacteria , solubility , horticulture , zoology , ecology , biochemistry , chemistry , in vitro , genetics , organic chemistry
C aplin , S amuel M. (Calif. Inst. Technol., Pasadena.) Mineral oil overlay for conservation of plant tissue cultures. Amer. Jour. Bot. 46(5): 324–329. Illus. 1959.—Used successfully by other workers for conservation of stock cultures of bacteria and fungi, mineral oil (m.o.) may also be used to conserve plant tissue cultures. Prolonged growth under m.o. does not appear to affect the ability of carrot tissue cultures to grow subsequently on subculture in air. In contrast with growth under liquid nutrient, which permitted little or no growth at depths greater than 15 mm., growth under m.o. was maintained at approximately ¼ of that of the controls up to 45 mm., the greatest depth tested. Better growth under m.o. is attributed to the 4 to 5 X greater solubility of oxygen in m.o. than in water. Insensitivity to depth under m.o. is ascribed to maintenance by diffusion of the oxygen concentration at the surface of the tissue. Under m.o. in the light, cultures became green and grew better, probably due to increased oxygen availability as the result of photosynthesis. Heavy m.o. appears to be equally as good as light oil for use as an overlay. Because of the slower growth of cultures under m.o., subculture periods may be lengthened from the order of 4–6 weeks to as many months, with attendant savings in effort, time, and materials.