Surface sterilization method for reducing microbial contamination of field grown strawberry explants intended for in vitro culture

An effective disinfection method for strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. Senga Sengana micropropagation using runner tips and nodal segments as explants was developed. The explants were surface sterilized with different sterilants for different durations. The present studies on the effect of different regimes of sterilization revealed that maximum aseptic cultures were obtained from both explants runner tips and nodal segments when treated with 1.5% sodium hypochlorite for 20 min plus ethyl alcohol 70% for 30 s, but the surviving percentage was less because this treatment resulted in necrosis and tissue injury of explants. However, mercuric chloride (0.1%) for 4 min resulted in less percentage of aseptic cultures but gave highest percentage of surviving explants as most of researchers have found that a single sterilant is more effective than the combination. Surface sterilization with mercuric chloride (0.1%) for 4 min was the optimum duration which resulted in highest percentage of explant survival.Keywords: In vitro, senga sengana, strawberry, sterilizationAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(39), pp. 5749-575