STERILIZATION: Tools (general)

Orchid Doctor

by Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler)

Originally published in The Orchid Doctor in 1980 and 1988

Posted by Sys Admin almost 8 years ago.

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Heating knives to red hot can distemper the metal; use cheap knives with non-conducting handles; single razor blades are good but can cause nasty cuts and they deteriorate quickly from rusting, etc.; best yet is a long thin blade with sheet metal handle, a Japanese industrial knife "Nikken Sofutu Kamisori" available from supply firms; sterilize them by baking. OD68-148

To kill Tobacco Mosaic Virus heat metal to boiling 212 deg.F. (100 deg.C) for at least one minute; to inactivate TMV in undiluted plant juice requires one minute heating at 96 deg.C. (204.8 deg.F.); for Cymbidium Orchid Mosaic Virus heat for 10 minutes at 65 deg.C. (117 deg.F.) C72-42

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More The Orchid Doctor Articles under the Heading Sterilization

Sterilization Comments
STERILIZATION: By Microwave Ovens Flasks with agar medium and stoppers can be qui ckly processed, but care is necessary, for details of two methods, refer to OR86-334 0
STERILIZATION: Compost With heat: heat the compost at 180 to 190 deg. F. for 30 minutes. A71-21 0
STERILIZATION: Cutting Tools Place in sodium hydroxide 20% solution for half a minute; in trisodium phosphate 15% solution for 15 to 30 minutes; in 5% clorox solution for five to 10 minutes. AU87(1)-16Use cheap cigaret te lighters to flame the blades before using. OIE86Sept-7 0
STERILIZATION: Loam or Leaf Mold With heat: dry the materials first, then heat at 250 deg.F. for 30 minutes to kill virus; or use a pressure cooker at 212 deg.F. for 10 to 15 minutes. A70-345 0
STERILIZATION: Of Pots and Media Immersion in water heated to 162 dF (72 dC) for 10 minutes stopped the loss of seedlings from disease where fungicides had little if any effect. AU81-20 0
STERILIZATION: Pots With a pressure cooker: they should be sterilized this way as a matter of course, if of clay. A73-615 0
STERILIZATION: Tools With Clorox: use one part Clorox to four parts water. A73-615; use one part Clorox to nine parts water. A79-910; Clorox kills in five to ten minutes. A79-1258; A80-110With flame: a candle flame is slow and poor. A70-1099; an alcohol lamp is good but better if the blade is first dipped in alcohol. A70-1099; hold the blade in the flame of an alcohol lamp or a Bunsen burner or a blow torch and heat the metal short of white heat. A73-334; flame the blade in a propane burner until nearly red. A75-437With Physan 20: it is relatively slow and heat treatment is more reliable. A76-115; use it at 2 ttpg; it is not highly toxic to humans. A79-272; use at 2 ttpg. for five to 15 minutes. A79-272; OD76-122With sodium hydroxide (NaOH) use a 2% solution for two or three minutes. A70-427; caustic soda; use a 2% solution. A73-615; use a 2% solution. A79-910; a 2% solution kills virus in half a minute to two minutes; it is the fastest. A79-1258; A80-110With trisodium phosphate: use a 15% solution in w... 0
STERILIZATION: Tools -- with Chemicals A mix of formaldehyde and sodium hydroxide was once used but now just a 2% solution of the latter is used and is as good; it has a higher pH of 14 than the formaldehyde; the higher the pH the quicker the denaturization of virus. A69-902 0

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