DOI: 10.5176/2251-2489_BioTech13
Authors: Potshangbam Nongdam
Abstract: Amongst orchids, cymbidiums occupy the foremost position in international floriculture trade due to their highly expensive extraordinarily beautiful flowers with long shelf life. C. aloifolium, C. eburneum, C.lowianum and C.pendulum are of commercially importance because of their therapeutic and ornamental values. However, there is a steady decline in their population in North-East India which was once considered as rich repository of cymbidiums due to heavy collection and mass habitat destruction. The present study was conducted in an attempt to preserve and conserve these important orchids by establishing efficient in vitro regeneration protocols using seed culture. Immature seeds extracted from the green capsules were grown on MS medium supplemented with varied combinations of plant growth regulators at different level of concentrations. Maximum seed germination was recorded for C. aloifolium (93.17±0.11) and C. pendulum (90.13±0.52) on basal MS medium incorporated with 0.2{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} Activated Charcoal (AC). C. eburneum on the other hand showed highest germination response on 1mgl-1 BAP supplemented medium with 0.2 {6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} AC while the same was observed for C.lowianum on MS medium enriched with 0.7mgl-1 of NAA. Whereas the basal MS medium with 0.2{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} AC was found to be most effective for shooting in C. eburneum (4.62±0.50) and C. pendulum (5.24±0.40), the same response was witnessed for C. aloifolium (5.71±0.96) and C. lowianum (5.41±0.31) on MS medium with 0.1mgl-1BAP + 0.2{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} AC and 0.5mgl-1 BAP+0.2{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} AC respectively. Presence of either NAA or IBA at different concentrations proved to be highly beneficial for effective rooting in the culture. Healthy seedlings with well-developed leaves and roots were obtained which were then hardened and transplanted to community pots for further acclimatization to the nursery conditions. The successfully in vitro regenerated plants through seed culture can subsequently be utilized for commercial and conservation purposes.
Keywords: orchids; cymbidiums; seed germination; capsules; protocorms
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