Bacterial streaming

Purpose

To determine if bacterial isolation is necessary

Materials

Leaf Tissue:

• Water
• Microscope with phase contrast
• Microscope slides
• Cover slips
• Scalpel

Stem Tissue

• Water
• Beaker
• Hemostat forceps
• Shears

Instructions

Bacterial streaming from a cut leaf lesion

• For Leaf Tissue

1. Select a leaf spot that is suspected of being bacterial in nature
2. cut around the leaf spot so that it will easily fit under a cover slip
3. On the microscope slide, place a drop of water (filtered or sterile)
4. place leaf spot in water, cut across edge of leaf spot, and place cover slip over it
5. Look at under phase-contrast to see bacterial streaming along cut

Bacterial streaming from a stem cross-section

• For Stem Tissue

1. Fill a beaker with water and place against a dark background
2. Select tissue suspected of having bacteria- brush off soil if needed
3. Place stem in forceps in order to suspend it in beaker
4. Cut one end of the stem and place cut end in the water
5. Look for bacteria oozing out of stem

References

• http://www.apsnet.org
• http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/nelsons/

Contributed by

From the University of Florida Plant Disease Clinic-GNV Systems Manual: originally created by Anne Vitoreli; contributed by Anne Vitoreli.