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Old 12-26-2008, 02:02 PM   #41 (permalink)
Chironex
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Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
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Name: Scot
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Default Re: My home TC lab is open, Finally!

Thanks Harvey, it's my O.C.D. kicking in. I don't tend to do anything half-way, it's pedal to the metal - especially when it involves fascinating research. If it interests me, I dive in head first. (Kinda geeky that way, have to know all about it)

There are still spots available for you in March for the Las vegas TC workshop sponsored by Carol Stiff's organization, Kitchen Culture Kits. Let me know if you can attend. We sure would like to have as many attend as possible. This will keep the costs lower for everyone.

What will I do with these plants? I would like to recover some costs, but want to offer them to our members here and perhaps some special ones on eBay. Of course, some will actually be for my enjoyment. When I develop the techniques for culturing variegated banana plants that remain true-to-type, I think auctioning some of them will yield the money to update my homemade lab equipment, provide for more chemical supplies and lab supplies. Some will be held back to be sold exclusively to our members, a benefit of membership. Some will be traded for explant material to further expand the availability of the rarer forms to our members. Keep in mind that everything being done is operating at a pure loss at the moment, all expenses are out of pocket including the cost of getting most of my ex-plant material. As most of you know, I have bid quite a bit for many special banana plants from all over the world. The vision I have is to make these more available to our members.

This is only a hobby for me. I do not intend to become a competitor of the commercial labs - more like a specialist for certain, limited production runs of rare bananas.

I am presently studying the methods of tissue culturing using male and female flowers, which has both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, the entire plant is not destroyed, which may lead to more plant culture being made available as someone would not have to sacrifice the entire plant for it to be TC'ed. The downside is that it appears to be a bit more complicated. I hope to make some efforts to learn this procedure in 2009. I will need to get some immature male buds at the proper time. I will try it on my own plants once I get one o flower, which should occur this summer with any luck. Once I get this procedure down pat, I will post a new thread with some photos.

Embryogenic Cell Suspensions are also fascinating, but since they tend to produce less somaclonal variation, it doesn't really appeal to me. It also requires more lab equipment and closer monitoring along the way. Time demands are intensified and that is a luxury that I cannot endure.
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