Hygiene is of great importance when propagating plant material in vitro. For example, for the air, but the pre-formed cultivation trays or pots must also be as clean as possible.

Sometimes gamma radiation is used to sterilize growing trays (trays, buckets or plastic pots). This ensures completely sterile materials, but is expensive and makes companies dependent on the logistics of the supplier of this disinfection process.

Disinfecting with UVC light is a better option. UVC disinfection is applied just before filling with growth medium. This can be done in-house for plant laboratories, tissue culture companies and propagation companies. Unlike gamma radiation, UVC light is safe to use when designed properly.

Disinfection cabinet or closed UVC tunnel system

Depending on the amount of material to be disinfected, a disinfection cabinet (batch-wise) or a fully continuous system is chosen. In a continuous system it is common to integrate UVC lamps above an existing or new conveyor belt. The trays, buckets or pots are then disinfected in a continuous movement or step by step.

Bioclimatic has experience with this process and the custom design of installations that fit plug & play above a line.