Asymbiotic Germination and Seedling Development of Terrestrial Orchid Bletilla striata Using in vitro and ex vitro Cultures

Abstract

Procedures for asymbiotic germination and seedling development under in vitro and ex vitro conditions were investigated for Bletilla striata. Five different asymbiotic germination media (½ P6668 ¬Phytamax Orchid Maintenance Media, ½ P6668 ¬Phytamax Orchid Maintenance Media with coconut water, P723 PhytoTechnology Orchid Seed Sowing Media, P723 PhytoTechnology Orchid Seed Sowing Media with coconut water, and ½ MS media) for in vitro culture and sphagnum moss for ex vitro culture were examined for their effectiveness for 8 weeks on seed germination and seedling development of B. striata. Germination occurred in all media, however, the best germination rate was obtained in P723 medium with coconut water while the lowest frequency was obtained in sphagnum moss. Moreover, the highest leaf parameters of the seedlings of B. striata developed in ½ MS medium when the seedlings in sphagnum moss showed the lowest results. Furthermore, all germinated protocorms showed rhizoid formation in all media.