Guidelines for Autoclaving Liquid Media Used in Plant Tissue Culture

Abstract

The temperatures of liquid volumes (10–4000 ml) were monitored with solid-state temperature probes during autoclaving cycles of an automated steam sterilizer. Accurate measurements of the time required for the liquid volumes to reach the sterilizing temperature (121°C) were made. The effects of preheating solutions to be autoclaved and enclosing materials in autoclavable plastic bags were determined. Liquid volumes between 10 and 4000 ml differed in the time required to reach 121° by 40 min. Preheating solutions before autoclaving slightly reduced the time required to reach sterilizing temperatures. Enclosing materials in autoclavable bags substantially increased the time required to reach 121°.