Abstract-A sterile condition of culture medium is one of the main aspects for micropropagation. The alternative technique for medium sterilization to replace autoclaving was carried out. For sterilization of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, commercial essential oils, disinfectants or in combinations were tested. Each essential oil or disinfectant or combination was added to a 20-mL medium in a 120-mL container, kept for 2 weeks before evaluating sterile conditions. Treated media were compared to control medium, autoclaved at 121 degree Celsius for 15 min. Sterile conditions of MS medium were found 100% from 10% povidone-iodine (108 L), 6% sodium hypochlorite (36 L), 2% iodine + 2.4% potassium iodide (36 L), while 95% sterile conditions were obtained from 2% iodine + 2.4% potassium iodide in combination with 10% povidone-iodine (ratio 1 : 1 at 36 L and ratio 1 : 3 at 72 L), 10% povidone-iodine in combination with lemon oil (ratio 3 : 1, 108 L) compared to 100% sterile conditions from autoclaved medium. Effects of these treated media on growth of chrysanthemum shoot and node explants were investigated. It was found that growth of explants on medium treated with 10% povidone-iodine or 2% iodine + 2.4% potassium iodide alone or in combination with 10% povidone-iodine (ratio 1 : 1) or 6% sodium hypochlorite was comparable to those on autoclaved medium.

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