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How to control mold and algae during seed germination?


vincent

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Hi everyone,

What is your favorite "receipe" to avoid mold and algae to grow faster than your Nepenthes seedlings?

I've read about H2O2, including charcoal in the medium, spraying with fungicide, nothing at all, etc.

What worked best for you?

If you use a fungicide or another kind of substance, would you share the name with us here?

Cheers

Vincent

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I use only live sphagnum moss , nothing else now days , and if I dont treat the seed first with GA3 or my own PPM or 10% bleach or some mixtures , I sow and spray with Fongarid systemic fungicide, and treat as required, with my own seed I just sow after 24 hr.soak in sterilized water , ,have no problems, as I harvest all seed before pods open and de-pod in my T/C lab in sterile conditions after treatment , germination rate improves a lot

john

Edited by snapperhead51
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Thanks for the answers!

But I have to admit that I'm frustrated.

I was dreaming of reading dozens of different methods and find one that would make me say "bon sang, mais c'est bien sûr!" (something like "Ha, yes, that's the way!").

I have the feeling that some of you are keeping their secret tricks for themselves... C'mon ladies and gentlemen :Laie_97:

The basis of my question is actually that I am wondering if treating seeds with fongicide or H2O2 could reduce the germination. We are only starting to understand in detail the interactions between plants and other organisms, like fungi. And I did see someone - can't remember where, sorry - hypothesizing that some micro-organism could help germination. Thus treating the seeds could actually decrease the germination rate.

Looking on internet, it seems the most common method is just dead sphagnum without anything against mold. But what if mold starts to develop? - except removing the source of infection, of course.

Any fongicide to recommend in Europe? Unfortunately, it seems that Fongarid is not common at all here.

Edited by vincent
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If you don't use clean seedling mix and clean water you are going to have problems . Boil water before use and kill spores in the seedling mix before sowing this will reduce all the above happening . Stored water will increase spores forming .

And for fungicide goes their are none worth buying in uk . As for advice from members outside of Europe they can buy better fungicides than we can get . Their answers would be a lot different if they live in Europe .

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If you don't use clean seedling mix and clean water you are going to have problems . Boil water before use and kill spores in the seedling mix before sowing this will reduce all the above happening . Stored water will increase spores forming .

And for fungicide goes their are none worth buying in uk . As for advice from members outside of Europe they can buy better fungicides than we can get . Their answers would be a lot different if they live in Europe .

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@ eeh by gum: good trick to boil the water! I did not think about that. Simple and efficient. I like that.

@ gardenofeden: as a biologist, I fully agree with that reasoning. But I tend to have difficulties to accept it for lovely endangered species... My hear is gaining the upper hand on my brain (not sure this is good English...) ;-)

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Vincent

one thing i do may be help for you , is soak the seed in sugar water , that is 1 tea spoon of white sugar into 200ml or water pref rain or distilled water, for 48 hrs, this brings all the fungal and other growths out growing on the surface of the seed, then rinse off in clean water for 2 or 3 times for 10 min a rinses , adjudicating regularly , then take out the seed and put in to a 10% bleach solution, using a 4% bleach non scented as your base bottel strength measurement , so I use 1 : 7 water ration , for 5 min on light colour seed and 7 min or dark colour seed , make sure you use a timer, rinse off 2 to 3 times with fresh distilled water for 10 min a rinse , and sow

this kills the fungal and bugs , , is a similar process i used for stubborn seed for my T/C

be very precise on your timing with bleach as if to long its cooked the seed and become sterile , may take some practice !

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Hi snapperhead51,

Maybe I'm really tired, but I'm not sure to understand the bleach dilution.

You use a 4% bleach stock, that you dilute 7 fold? I'm probably wrong, since this doesn't make a final 10% solution.

Could you clarify? I don't want to kill some seeds.

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Vincesnt

the bottles of white king bleach here is product strength ingredient is 4% to 4.2% sodium hyprochloite 42g / L

Available chlorine 4 % M / v

with this mix of bottel strength I use 1ml of white king to 7 ml of sterile water , to make my strength of 10% sterilizing bleach , as my base strength . it works for us , many may vary with different product strength through out the world and will need to recalculate it

if your bottles of white king or bleach is at a different produce strength it needs to be recalculated per ml

its not a exact science , there are many variables , like doing 0.5 ml and 7 ml water then soak for 10 to 12 min , , it took me a while to get my procedures right ,and i still vary it when required even doing the seed colour change that happens when soaking by eye , that's just from experience ,and knowing the type of seed and its colour and its strength or weakness , some seed is very strong and robust like ventricosa, or stenophylla, some veitchii ect , and other like hamata , lowii, villosa can be week and need less time or strength so to not to damage them or render them sterile , there are many other ways, I even use ppm mixed with GA3 to do the same thing , but my ppm is made different then you one your buy from USA . mine is much strong and dose not inhibit the seed .

hope that helps

Edited by snapperhead51
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