Working with Switchgrass

Finally, yesterday we began the lab work on the switchgrass we've been growing. It was so SLOW getting it started, but today we were ready to begin. Students evaluated their plants for disease and removed some of the diseased tissue (leaves or roots) using scissors they had sterilized in a flame using 70% ethanol. We had a near accident when one student started to go back into the alcohol with the scissors while they were still burning, and I had forgotten to put out glass petri dishes they could use to extinguish such a fire, so I have GOT to remember to put those out any time kids are sterilizing instruments with alcohol and flame.

After making their cuts, students followed the following sterilization protocol:

1. Soak one minute in 95% ethyl alcohol
2. Soak three minutes in 20% clorox
3. Soak one minute in 95% ethyl alcohol
4. Let dry on a piece of paper towel

After their samples dried, they placed the cuttings on water agar, sealed them with parafilm, and placed them in the incubator set at 37 degrees C.