Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T00:48:16.533Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Evaluation of surface sterilization and hot water treatments on bacterial contaminants in bud culture of sugarcane

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1999

M. MOUTIA
Affiliation:
Biotechnology Department, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius
A. DOOKUN
Affiliation:
Biotechnology Department, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius

Abstract

Four surface sterilization agents and two hot-water treatments were evaluated with a view to eliminating bacterial contamination in sugarcane (Saccharum hybrids) buds used for in vitro initiation. None of the treatments achieved total elimination of contaminants. Disinfection in either a 2.7% solution of sodium hypochlorite (pH 6) or 1% mercuric chloride were equally good, resulting in 46.8% and 56.3% clean cultures respectively. However, sterilization with 2.7% sodium hypochlorite (pH 6) was most phytotoxic and 100% tissue necrosis and bud death were recorded. The Australian cold-soak hot-water treatment (consisting of a 48-h soak in running water followed by hot-water treatment at 50 °C for 3 h on the following day) reduced contamination from 70% to 25%. With the dual hot-water treatment (setts immersed in water at 52 °C for 20 min and then at 50 °C for 3 h on the following day) a decrease to 45% was observed. Bacterial contaminants were identified by fatty acid profiling and were found to belong mainly either to the Enterobacteriaceae family or the genus Bacillus.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)