Update on my flasking operation

Quote: Are you flasking too?

I am at the beginning of pollination/hybridization and seed propagation (at he next step of addiction). Recently searched Propagation archives on the forums. If I not messed something, using dali containers is quite unique method.

How do you seal lids? Do you use vented flasks?

Thanks

 

I have heard of folks putting a hole in the lid, then putting a round, medicated band-aid over it, but I'm not certain what venting accomplishes, or should I say, if it's worth doing.

 

Thanks Marni, your info us very helpful.

Ray: they claim, that vented lids allow seedlings transfer metabolism from consuming readily available sugars of the flask media to producing hydrocarbons using atmosphere CO2 on earliest stages due to gas exchange. As a result, more vigorous growth and less stressful adaptation after deflasking.

 

I used vented flasks for replates, but was getting too much dessication (I didn't have my flasks in a humid environment) so I ended up using parafilm to cover the lids to keep in moisture. The plants didn't mind at all!

 

Marni,
My personal experience not significant enough to tell something for sure.

 

Hi Marni - I'm not flasking anymore...I had my little adventure back in 2007, just playing around and experimenting, so I'm far from experienced. I was advantaged with a functioning autoclave and tissue culture hood, so I had it easy. The parafilm is air-tight...I used it when I saw the agar cracking and drying. I completely covered the top of the flask (if you haven't touched it before, the film stretches over things and seals them). I covered all my flasks and of the three or four species I did it for, there was no real negative impact. They were uncovered for about a month or two, and then covered for the rest of the duration until deflasking.

 

Marni, we are using the parafilm on our Angraecopsis parviflora flasks too. It's great stuff!

 

A comment, parafilm is not air tight but waterproof. Gases like oxygen and nitrogen diffuses through parafilm over time.

 

Yes Marni, parafilm is a "plastic paraffin film" and mites should not be able to "get in".

Though it is possibly that the film breaks down with time...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parafilm

/Magnus