Bean Seedling Protocol (Not currently being used)

Materials and Equipment Needed

  1. White 11" x 21" flat
  2. Paper towels
  3. Jiffy 7 pots
  4. Bean seeds (bush type)
  5. Plastic label
  6. Clean blue washing container
  7. Fertilizer (250 ppm Nutriculture)
  8. Large beaker
  9. 95% Ethyl alcohol in spray bottle
  10. Fluorescent lamp
  11. High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp
  12. Hood
  13. Baby food jars and plastic lids with 3/8" hole
  14. Cotton wicks

Safety Issues

The High Intensity Discharge lamp generates a large amount of heat during use and remains hot for some time after being unplugged.  When the lamp is on or cooling down, the hood fan must be on and alcohol should not be used in the hood. 

Time Required

Planting: 20-30 min with about 10 min of activity

Caring for seedlings in the lab: 5 min daily

Preparing jars and plants for colony: 10-15 min

Procedure

Planting Seeds

Step Image
Get desired number of peat pots from box.  Up to 28 may be grown on one flat. Prepare more pots than the number of plants actually needed to allow for some seed that does not germinate.

Place the pots into a container with 1.5" of deionized water.  The side with a circle and hole in the center should be facing up.
Jiffy 7 pots fully expand after 20-30 min. soaking.  A tray to place the pots on can be prepared while they are soaking.
Place a layer of paper towels in the 11" x 21" flat.  Flats are stored on top of the refrigerator. 
Wet paper towels with deionized water.
Place expanded pots on the flat.  Leave space between the pots to increase air circulation and decrese fungal growth.  Up to 28 pots in a 4 x 7 arrangement will fit on a flat.
Plant one bean seed per pot.  Small amounts of seed may be kept in the thrips cabinet. Additional seed should be stored in the freezer.
After planting, the flat should be labeled with a plastic tag indicating the type of seed and the date planted. 
Place the flat of seedlings under the fluorescent lamp.  Seedlings will take 3-4 days to germinate.

Caring for Seedlings

Step Image
Seedlings are watered with 250 ppm N Nutriculture fertilizer when needed.  The tray shown at right is ready to move under the High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp in the hood. Seeds which do not have leaves developing above the pots should be discarded before moving the tray.
The HID lamp generates a lot of heat and light.  It is plugged in at night and unplugged in the morning.  The seedlings must be well watered before the lamp is turned on and the hood fan must be on.  DO NOT use alcohol in the hood when the lamp is on or has recently been turned off. 
Fungal growth may develop on the peat pots after about 1 week.  As little of this should be taken into the thrips colony as possible.
When fungal growth begins to develop, the pots (not the entire plant) can be sprayed well with 95% Ethyl alcohol.  Repeat as necessary.
Plants shown at right are ready to be moved into the colony.  Seedlings may be allowed to grow a few more days if larger leaves are desired.  The beaker shown is 600 mL.

Constructing Watering Jars for Seedlings

Step Image
Get baby food jars, lids, and wicks from blue container in thrips cabinet .  Fill jars with 250 ppm Nutriculture fertilizer.
Soak cotton wicks in a clean beaker with fertilizer solution. 
Insert wick through the hole in the jar lid, starting from the top of the lid and pulling the short end long enough to reach the bottom of the jar.
Coil the long end of the wick on top of the jar lid for the bean seedling to rest on.
Remove cotyledons from seedlings.
Before placing seedlings into the cages, place seedlings sideways on the jars (the cages are not tall enough for them to sit up).  Be sure to have the leaves perpendicular to the cage bottom. 
Gently squish the pot to create a flat side (water and soil may come out).  This prevents the beans from rolling off the jars when in the growth chamber. 
Bean seedlings and beans can then be placed in the thrips colony.
Jiffy 7 pots and jars should be removed from the cages when the seedlings run out of fertilizer or develop severe feeding damage.  The upper part of the plant should be cut off and left in the cage until dry.  
Wicks and Jiffy 7 pots should be placed in the freezer and jars washed as in the cleaning protocol page. Jars should be returned to the thrips cabinet when dry.