Equipments / Miscellaneous Lab Items Frequently Used In Plant Pathology Laboratory-Plant Care

EQUIPMENTS / MISCELLANEOUS LAB ITEMS FREQUENTLY USED IN PLANT PATHOLOGY LABORATORY

SR. No.	EQUIPMENTS/LAB ITEM	PURPOSE
1	Spirit lamp or gas burner	For sterilization of inoculation needles, forceps, scalpel, etc.
2	Autoclave	For sterilization of heat stable liquids — common culture media, dry bulk materials, heat resistant instruments, glassware.
3	Koch’s steam	Used for sterilization of media sterilizer or constituents which are damaged by exposure to temperature above 100°C, namely sugar, gelatin, milk.
4	Oven	For sterilization of glassware and metal instruments resistant to high temperature.
5	Gas sterilants	For sterilizing heat sensitive equipments and substrates
6	Liquid filters	For sterilization of heat sensitive solutions
7	Air filters	For sterilization of air for cultures and transfer chambers
8	Liquid disinfectants	Use on working surfaces, instruments, tools, etc
9	Laminar Flow Cabinet	It’s a hood to avoid contamination
10	Centrifuge Machine	Used to run a solution at high revolution to settle the small particles in solution
11	Hot Plate	Used to warm the liquids and media
12	Liquid Shaker	Used to culture the microbes in liquid media
13	Digital Balance	Used to weigh the small quantities of materials
14	Incubator	Used to optimize the conditions for the growth of cultures
15	Refrigerators	Used to store the specimens and materials at low temperatures

EQUIPMENTS / MISCELLANEOUS LAB ITEMS FREQUENTLY USED IN PLANT PATHOLOGY LABORATORY

DISINFECTION AND STERILIZATION
The basic knowledge of disinfection and sterilization is important for biosafety in the laboratory to handle the contaminated materials.

DEFINITIONS: The following are the commonly used terms for disinfection and sterilization.
ANTIMICROBIAL: An agent that kills microorganisms or suppresses their growth and multiplication.
ANTISEPTIC: A substance that inhibits the growth and development of microorganisms without necessarily killing them. Antiseptics are usually applied to body surfaces. 
BIOCIDE: A general term for any agent that kills organisms.
CHEMICAL GERMICIDE: A chemical or a mixture of chemicals used to kill microorganisms.
DECONTAMINATION: Any process for removing and/or killing microorganisms. The same term is also used for removing or neutralizing hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials. 
DISINFECTANT: A chemical or mixture of chemicals used to kill microorganisms, but not necessarily spores. Disinfectants are usually applied to inanimate surfaces or objects. 
DISINFECTION: A physical or chemical means of killing microorganisms, but not necessarily spores.
MICROBICIDE: A chemical or mixture of chemicals that kills microorganisms. The term is often used in place of “biocide”, “chemical germicide” or “antimicrobial”.
SPOROCIDE: A chemical or mixture of chemicals used to kill microorganisms and spores.
STERILIZATION: A process that kills and/or removes all classes of microorganisms and spores.
CHEMICAL DISINFECTION
The following chemicals or germicides are used to disinfect the materials.

1. Chlorine (Sodium hypochlorite) Chloramines
2. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) Formaldehyde
3. Alcohols
4. Iodine and Iodophors Hydrogen peroxide Peracid

HEAT DISINFECTION AND STERILIZATION:

Saturated steam under pressure (autoclaving) is the most effective way of sterilizing laboratory materials.
The following cycle will surely sterilize the correctly loaded materials.

1. 3 minutes holding time at 134oC
   
2. 10 minutes holding time at 126oC
   
3. 15 minutes holding time at 121oC
   
4. 25 minutes holding time at 115oC 
   

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Written By:

Dr.Qaiser Shakeel

Tahir Mahmood

Department of Plant Pathology-Agriculture

The Islamia University of Bahwalpur-Pakistan.