Improving the suitability of glass fiber filters for use as culture supports [Plant tissue culture, Pinus strobus]

Commercially available glass fiber filters are useful as physical supports for cultures; however, as received from the manufacturers, the filters frequently contain substances that render them unsuitable for some types of experimental studies. These substances contribute to the formation of precipitates in the culture media, alter the media pH, and repress synchronous development among embryo cultures of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.). A simplified technique was developed to remove the contaminants and to saturate the cation exchange sites on the glass fibers with specific ions.