A level science students are carrying out independent research projects based on techniques they learnt about at Kew when we visited Jonathan Kendon at the Jodrell Laboratories.

Each student is working with seed from a different orchid species. They have investigated TZ testing for seed viability and are now assessing the amount of surface sterilisation needed for their seed sample. All work is carried out in laminar flow cabinets and the students are sowing seed with different bleach concentrations or bleaching times using an adapted syringe method using micropipettes to sow the seed.