Specimen identification is essential in the lab, especially those managing large quantities of samples and organisms. Labeling plants is no different, with sometimes thousands of plants of varying species planted, grown, and harvested over extended periods. Below are several tips to help keep plants correctly identified and to ensure the entire lab is up to speed when it comes to tracking samples and managing workflows and data.

Use appropriate labels

The type of label will depend on the species of plant grown in the lab. Ideally, plants should be labeled around their stems with specialized HerbaTAG™ labels, thermal-transfer printable labels with a non-adhesive tail that are made to fit around the stem without inflicting unnecessary damage. These labels are ideal for plants like Setaria viridis, Striga hermonthica, Phragmites australis, and cannabis plants, all of which have relatively long, hearty stems that will not fall over due to the weight of the label. This guarantees the plant remains accurately identified, even if re-potted. Importantly, these labels are resistant to water, UV light, and tearing, which ensures they do not fail throughout the plant’s lifespan. For smaller plants, like the commonplace Arabidopsis thaliana, labels that affix to plates and pots may be more suitable. Here, it is recommended to use deep-freeze labels, as they are resistant to both water and alcohol in addition to long-term deep-freeze conditions (as low as -80°C). Note that for plants and seeds incubated on dishes, it is important to label the underside of the dish rather than merely the cap; this allows proper identification of the plants, even if the caps become unintentionally mismatched.

Thermal-transfer printers are recommended for printing all laboratory labels. This method provides a printout with optimal resistance against chemicals, including water and alcohols, as well as extreme temperatures and abrasion.

Integrate barcodes and/or RFID

When identifying plants, extracts, seeds, and any other container in the lab, the best practice is to adapt barcode and/or RFID labels. These methods of tracking individual plants and samples are recommended as they mitigate human errors and prioritize efficiency, allowing staff to perform tasks in a streamlined fashion with less overall strain. Barcode generation and RFID encoding can be performed using software like BarTender®, which feeds directly to the printer. Each type of identification method has its own pros and cons.

RFID

Pros:

• Scan multiple items simultaneously
• No need for a direct line-of-sight
• Can be used alongside barcodes using a thermal-transfer RFID printer
• Provides a high level of security
• Tags can be re-encoded
• Can be adapted to almost any label

Cons:

• Requires additional testing to ensure the system works efficiently
• Higher setup and operational costs
• Limited readability in liquids or near metal

Barcodes

Pros:

• Lower cost
• International standards available
• Barcode grading available
• Quicker to test and implement
• Can be adapted to any label
• Multiple types of barcodes afford adaptability based on workflow
• Can be printed using a variety of different types of printers

Cons:

• Labels can’t be re-used
• Lower level of security
• Individual labels must be scanned using direct line-of-sight

Note that barcodes can be printed alongside RFID using an RFID printer, providing two sample tracking methods. For larger labs dependent on RFID, it is recommended to use both methodologies, in case unexpected issues arise when scanning RFID labels. RFID inlays can also be adapted for any type of label, including plant and deep-freeze labels, providing additional flexibility.

Track everything on a cloud-based system

Within the last several years, cloud-based laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and electronic notebooks (ELNs) have become commonplace. These systems act as hubs for all tracked samples as well as workflows, inventory, results, and analyses. To make the most of barcode and/or RFID, it is essential to integrate them into these systems, which yields maximum visibility across the lab and keeps workflows running efficiently. There are many benefits of LIMS and ELNs:

Prevention of lost data

Written lab notes run the risk of theft or merely becoming lost by the user. Even current, up-to-date lab books can be stolen from the desk, while older books risk being mishandled and/or misplaced over time. Using a LIMS and ELN means that all data are located on a secure server, accessible by the appropriate users at all times.

Accurate reporting and enhanced consistency

Lab books are notorious for being poorly legible and missing key experimental details. This represents an inherent crisis for industrial labs, as audit trails cannot be properly maintained without a digitized system. For smaller labs, implementing a LIMS and ELN ensures that results are maintained consistently and accurately over the long run, so that old and new personnel can access them and fully comprehend the nature of the methods, results, and analysis in an error-free manner.

LabTAG by GA International is a leading manufacturer of high-performance specialty labels and a supplier of identification solutions used in research and medical labs as well as healthcare institutions.