STREAK PLATE METHOD POUR PLATE METHOD SPREAD PLATE METHOD

First to be added Nutrient Agar (Melted) Bacterial Broth Nutrient Agar (Melted)
Second to be added A loopful of bacteria from a slant Nutrient Agar (Melted) Bacterial Broth
Volume of inoculum
No definite/exact amount
(Only a Loopful)
1.0 mL or 0.1 mL 0.1 mL
Purpose For isolation of colonies only
Count the number of colonies
(number of microorganisms)
Count the number of colonies
(number of microorganisms)
Equipment (Glasswares)
Petri dish
Alcohol Lamp
Wire Loop
Petri dish
Alcohol Lamp
Pipet
Test tubes
Petri dish
Alcohol Lamp
Pipet
Test tubes
Glass Rod / L-rod
Type of Colonies Surface Colonies
Either Surface/ Subsurface
Colonies
Surface Colonies
Advantage
* For isolation of bacterial cultures
* Has distinct separate colonies
*For Quantification of colonies in
solid medium
*Allows the growth and
quantification of microaerophiles
(Sufficient oxygen supply)
* Cultures are never exposed to
45
o
C melted agar temperatures.
Disadvantage
* Higher Probability of
Contamination prior to isolation.
* Picking subsurface colonies
would interrupt other colonies by
digging out of the agar
* Microbes must withstand the
agar temperature
* More microbes, presence of
more colony forming units.

References:
Culturing Microbes. < http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~sabedon/biol4035.htm> Last Accessed 01 Feb 2010.
Growth and Culturing of Bacteria. <http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~sabedon/black06.htm> Last Accessed 01 Feb 2010.
Streak Plate Method. < http://www.studentsguide.in/microbiology/microbiology-tools-techniques/streak-plate-method.html> Last Accessed 01 Feb
2010.
Pour Plate Method. <http://www.studentsguide.in/microbiology/microbiology-tools-techniques/pour-plate-method.html> Last Accessed 01 Feb 2010.
Spread Plate Method.< http://www.studentsguide.in/microbiology/microbiology-tools-techniques/spread-plate-method.html> Last Accessed 01 Feb
2010.