Optimizing Surface Sterilization for Micropropagation of Gerbera jamesonii: A Study on Explant Survival and Contamination Control

In the commercial production of gerberas, micropropagation enables the large-scale production of plants in a limited space, as well as the obtaining of disease and pest-free uniform plants. This technique also ensures precision in production schedules and product quality, regarding plant homogeneity and vigour. Nevertheless, the occurrence of contamination in an in vitro culture is frequent, and might result in high damage. Plant materials have different kind of microbes i.e., exogenous and endogenous in nature which is the main reason for contamination in tissue culture. Pre-treatments to explants with fungicides and bactericides can be effectively used to eliminate the surface contamination. Surface sterilizing agents, their levels and duration of exposure are known to impact the in vitro culture establishment. In the present experiment, pre-treatment of explants was carried out with Teepol BleachTM solution (0.1%) and BavistinTM (0.1%) for 15 and 20 minutes respectively for effective control of fungal contaminations in all the cultures. For the control of bacterial contamination antibiotics were added in culture medium. Surface sterilization of explants with 0.1% mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for five minutes gave the maximum survival of the growing cultures.