Anyone clone with agar?

Using agar and tissue cultures is an established method of preserving genetics. It also seems like it would be a viable method of cloning plants.

I’m wondering if anyone uses agar to clone cuttings?

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hey, good question …
i always have agar around from growing shrooms :slight_smile:

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Sorry @santero, didn’t see your response. Yeah I’m thinking that it may be easier than using a bubble cloner…smaller cuttings too. I’m sure there is a learning curve though…

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I wouldn’t advise using agar unless you’re familiar with sterile technique.

It is possible but you have to clean your cuttings very well, were talking about disinfecting them.

Exposed agar would turn into a jungle of mold and bacteria way before the cuttings had a chance to grow roots.

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Is it possible to sterilize the exposed agar with h2o2?
@Hempire420

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Might help you keep the numbers down if you do a daily rinse with it but still I wouldn’t risk it.

When you introduce a culture in agar everything has to be extremely clean, the agar itself and the container to be used for the culture have to be autoclaved to ensure sterility.

Even the plant material has to be disinfected in a bleach solution then rinsed in 5 times in water that has also been autoclaved.

If you don’t have a flow hood with a HEPA filter you should be working inside a glovebox.

The only way I can see that working is by possibly using some sort of antibiotic and antifungal in the agar.

That could help keep the mold and bacteria at bay but not sure how it would affect the cuttings.

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So basically what you are saying is it’s so damn easy to go to the grocery, purchase some agar, and mix it up, why haven’t you yet?!? Just keep everything clean!!! :wink::wink:

I’m wondering what kind of nutrient mix I would use in the agar…:grin:

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I just received a starter kit for cloning this way. it was about $150 US. comes with some containers, veg powder (agar, nutrients, and veg hormones) rooting powder (agar, nutrients, and rooting hormones) and directions. I am super excited to try it. I’m going to make a thread about it soon.

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It’s not complicated, just complex, and you have to follow the protocol correctly.

Personally I wouldn’t go though all that trouble just to root some cuttings, given how easy it is to stick them in a glass of water and wait a couple of weeks for roots to show up.
That’s how I do it anyway, but I like to keep things simple.

As for the nutrient I would go with salt based veg nutrients diluted @ 50% strength, that should do the trick.

Just watch a couple of videos about sterile technique for in vitro cultures and you should be fine.

Do let us know how it goes if you decide to go ahead with it.

Good luck :slight_smile:

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Very cool! Please tag me when you start it, would love to follow along. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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