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OBTAINING A STERILIZED SOIL FOR THE GROWTH OF ONOCLEA GAMETOPHYTES
Author(s) -
RUBIN GAIL,
PAOLILLO D. J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1984.tb03626.x
Subject(s) - germination , sterilization (economics) , spore , soil water , chemistry , radionuclide , irradiation , horticulture , environmental chemistry , biology , botany , environmental science , soil science , physics , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics , monetary economics , economics , foreign exchange market , foreign exchange
S ummary Autoclaved soils totally inhibited germination of spores of the fern, Onoclea sensibilis . Gamma‐irradiated soil sometimes allowed germination and growth, whereas germination and growth on ashed soil was entirely reproducible. All methods of sterilization produced sterile soil, but only ashing produced a medium acceptable for use in other experiments. Experiments with mineral solutions suggest that the failure of sterilized soil to support germination is due to toxic compounds rather than nutrient deficiency. Ashing the toxic soils removed the inhibitory compounds, which seemed to be related to the breakdown of organic matter during sterilization by autoclaving and gamma irradiation. On gamma‐irradiated soil, germination was promoted by removal of ethylene from the atmosphere around the spores, but subsequent growth failed, probably due to other inhibitors formed in the soil during irradiation.