2.5. Plant growth test
Plant seeds were treated with 70% ethanol for 1 min followed by a
mixture of 5% (v/v) sodium hypochlorite and 1% (w/v) SDS for
3–5 min, and then washed 3–4 times with sterile MilliQ water to remove
surface contamination (bacteria). One gram of cyanobacterial
crusts was placed on an MDMo plate, and surface-sterilized seeds of
various genera were added to the plate. The seeds were cultivated
under continuous illumination (40 μmoles photon m−2 s−1
) at 25 °C.
Plant growth was assessed by measuring the length of the stem or
leaf. The plants were also monitored for leaf fall and wither.