My changed rooting protocol is in the pressure cooker. Jar juggling is probably the most frustrating and time wasting task of this series. I keep thinking that people don't want to read my whining but then figure it is better that you all see the more simple problems that have nothing to do with protocols, light levels, and the costs of this chemical or that.
On activated charcoal. I understand the principle. Activated charcoal has tiny tubules running through it which tend to trap contaminants, or in this case, Cytokinins. This all makes sense and I have used AC for other projects in order to clarify or decolor extracts. But this charcoal is the finest I've ever seen. It reminds me a lot of laser printer toner. Now, if it is this fine, how can there be those tubules? Ah well, the reason I got this stuff at full price from a chemical supplier is because I didn't want any doubts. Ordinarily I would get to an aquarium store or break open a water filter or something like that. This time I want exactly what the big boys use - and with that comes more doubt.
I am seriously tweaking the Chinese protocol. My interpretation of it, after almost a month doesn't work. The plants, again, after a two week show of vigor and another week of solid presence, are beginning to turn brown. This is the same cycle and when I finally go into true production or support of a DNA library I will change the medium every 3 weeks - no stretching it. I've tried varying sugar content and it seems to make little difference. You can see somewhere in this journal where I've experimented with active life of the biocide, and it is about 2 to 3 weeks. I can't know exactly how long the hormones work well but if the sugar runs out then it doesn't make any difference anyway. Three weeks is about all, I suppose it is a small price to pay for the results of getting hundreds and hundreds of "clones" and keeping many dozen "moms" and you can't have everything. The refrigeration experiments I have done seem to work as I had anticipated. We can place plants into suspended animation for at the very least, weeks - so in the event someone can't change out their medium in the requisite 3 weeks, they can place their project in the fridge.
I've been using GA3 as a quasi hormone in balance but am replacing that with NAA in this round. Of course there is the IBA as well, and activated charcoal. I am sticking with MS full strength and dropping the vitamins. It is fairly easy to detect if they are vitamin deficient but it seems to take a while for that to become apparent and I figure before this happens they should be generating their own in soil (or whatever I put them in).
Seeds. So I have three seedlings. Seems that my test tubes may be too short (that's a pity because they are virtually useless for other sorts of micropropatation work). I am doing what I can to keep from getting too much stretch - sort of like the constant struggle of indoor cannabis cultivators everywhere - but in miniature. I want the material above the cotyledons and I have to have enough to be immersed in medium while the first set of adult leaves above can still be clear. Seems that the plastic doesn't let a whole lot of light in no matter what I do. This isn't a huge problem, when I get more seeds I will likely just use a different container and put more than one in each.
Well, I have work for the rest of the day, I will take pictures of some of it because I suspect this thread is probably pretty boring if it is just words and speculation and fret on my part.
This is a recent addition of a pure indica, now three weeks old, note that we already have shoots ready for splitting up.
Note the dried out portions of leaves, this is one of the vented vessels.
More dried leaves, another vented vessel.
Well look what we have here. Now I think a balance of light is needed, I must have some decent growth in order to take an explant. It can't stretch too much. More waiting I'm afraid.
