About Flora Lab

Matthew removing media from the autoclave.

MEDIA PREPARATION

Flora laboratories started seedraising orchids in 1985 and soon after began mericloning Cymbidiums. We now offer mericloning services for a wide range of epiphytic orchids including Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Miltonias, Phalaenopsis, Sarcochilus & Zygopetalums as well as Carnivorous Plants and some Bromeliads.

A range of our own flasks of Cymbidium Orchid mericlones and Species Orchid seedlings is available. Since this is not the main aspect of our business we offer only a small range of only the best varieties as they become available.

As well as our laboratory services, we distribute a range of laboratory consumables to other plant tissue culture laboratories.
More recently we are pleased to be able to manufacture the “Keikigrow” range of plant hormones and vitamins in lanoline pastes developed by Dr James Brasch of Plant Hormones Canada.

The following photographs show a few of the main areas of our laboratories

• 

  Izabella doing record keeping after replating clones.

  

  

  

  

  

  STERILE TRANSFER LABORATORY

  Media preparation Area

  At the heart of our media preparation facility is a pair of Jouan media preparators that automatically mix, autoclave and dispense all our formulations with a minimum of work done by hand.

  Culture initiation laboratory

  A variety of Gelman Sciences laminar flow cabinets are used in our laboratories. Two class 2 biohazard cabinet with glass fronts, shown above are used for culture initiation & seed sowing where the gentle air flow makes work easier. They are also used for APPM treatment where both the tissue must be kept asceptic and the operator must be protected from the APPM. APPM is used to double the number of chromosomes in plant cells to produce superior 4N plants..

  For replating, we use both cross flow (shown above) and down flow laminar flow cabinets. These units are more spacious and have a higher airflow rate to maintain sterility during long periods of use..

  Plants are grown in polycarbonate and polypropylene vented containers in temperature controlled grow rooms.The racks are steel framed with wire mesh shelves as shown..

  Dry media store and balance area