An alternative safer sterilization method for explants of Aloe vera barbadensis Mill. Ahmad Sharifkhani +, Halimi Mohd Saud, Maheran Bt Abd. Aziz Department of Agriculture Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43300, Malaysia Abstract: Utilizing an accurate sterilization procedure in tissue culture techniques can save time and energy. However, the explants must be sterilized and viable while sterilizing. This study aims at providing a new method to replace mercuric chloride. In this study sodium hypochlorite (commercial brand Clorox) with some drops of Tween80 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% were used. Applying a Kruskal-Walis test (a nonparametric test), revealed that 5% sodium hypochlorite with 20 minutes of hard and constant shaking, gives the highest number (91.7%) of viable and sterilized explants with regeneration potential in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with IBA and TDZ and Zeatin. Using Pearson Chi square test (X=37.144, P value = 0.0001), the results revealed a significant relationship between the sodium hypochlorite concentration and percentage of surviving explants in Aloe vera barbadensis Mill. Keywords: Aloe vera, sterilization, mercuric chloride. 1. Introduction Aloe vera is an important medicinal plant that belongs to the family of Liliaceae [2]. Liliaceae is the family of perennial tropical plant of African origin. The genus of Aloe has more than 500 species but only few are medicinally important [11]. Aloe vera is a xerophytic medicinal plant and can be grown even in rain- fed conditions [1]. Aloe vera has been suggested to possess anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti- diabetic and anti-bacterial properties; however, the mechanism(s) of these proposed effects is (are) not fully understood [14]. The plant is a perennial succulent that is characterized by its capacity to store large volumes of water in its tissues. The plant has green fleshy leaves covered by a thick cuticle or rind and an inner clear pulp [14]. The gel of Aloe vera makes an excellent treatment for wounds, burns and other skin disorders [2]. Administration of gel extract reduces blood glucose level, blood urea, glycosylated haemoglobin and restores hexokinase, glucose-6- phosphatase and fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase activity close to normal [7]. Industrial demand on production of Aloe vera gel is increasing every day and due to the slow natural rate of reproduction, the demand of this gel in various industries cannot be met with [11]. Plant tissue culture is a practice used to propagate plants under sterile conditions. Using the tissue culture may offer certain advantages over traditional methods of propagation, including: making exact copies of the plant, quickly producing mature plants, regenerating the plant which has been genetically modified, etc. [13]. Moreover, tissue culture can be use as a method for mass production of Aloe vera.Sterilization of explants is one of the very important steps in tissue culture. Utilizing an accurate sterilization method in tissue culture techniques can save time and energy. Whereas, the explants must be sterilized and viable while sterilizing, mercuric chloride is advised by most tissue culturists as a sterilizing agent especially in Aloe vera in-vitro. + Corresponding author : Tel + 60 176140376 Email address: ahmad14000@yahoo.com 2011 2nd International Conference on Chemical Engineering and Applications IPCBEE vol. 23 (2011) © (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore 32