Max time for seeds soaking in sucrose water?

[doodlekitty]

Help!!! I'm hoping for some advice for the seeds I have been soaking in a 5% sucrose solution. I started them yesterday at 3 pm est. In the meantime, I've come down with a horrible cold and don't want to deal with them. Can they stay there for more than 24 hrs? Will I lose them if I do not proceed today?

[Royal]

I doubt it would hurt to let them go another day. It may not hurt to go a week - I don't really know. The sucrose soak only serves to "wake up" any spores or oocysts that might survive the disinfectant if still dormant. As long as you don't grow these in the sucrose solution, I can't see why it would hurt?

[doodlekitty]

Thanks Royal; I sure hope not because they're still sitting there getting all sweetened up. I'm hoping to get to them tomorrow....if I can kick this bug that got me. Man how I dread going back into that glove box with bleach, again.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

I doubt it would hurt to let them go another day. It may not hurt to go a week - I don't really know. The sucrose soak only serves to "wake up" any spores or oocysts that might survive the disinfectant if still dormant. As long as you don't grow these in the sucrose solution, I can't see why it would hurt?

After 24 hours the fungi/bacteria can start to sporulate again so you're back to where you started (or worse you've multiplied the contaminants).

[newflasker]

Some people suggest that using a weak disinfectant such as dilute H2O2 to decontaminate sensitive orchid seeds which can not survive with strong disinfectant. Because dilute H2O2 may not kill all spores so seeks are soaked in sugar solution to wake up spores so disinfectant can kill them again. As Andrew said, timing is very important. If it's a too short time all spores may not wake up yet you get contamination; if it's too long you grow fungus and bacteria. And if your seeds are not sensitive against disinfectant don't use it.

[doodlekitty]

ok thanks for the input. I'm definitely past the 24 hr period now. what if I rinse seed and dry.....can I start the process over again?