Micropropagation of Rhynchostylis gigantea var. rubra through protocorm-like bodies

Abstract

Rhynchostylis gigantea var. rubra is a variety of purple-red flower orchid. There is small amount of this orchid in natural habitat. Shoot-tip culture was applied for asexual propagation to maintain its good characteristics. Efficient methods for micropropagation through protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) from shoottips using various plant tissue culture media and sucrose concentrations were studied. After two months of culture, the highest survival rate of 92.6% and the highest PLB formation (7.9 PLBs) were found in a modified Vacin and Went liquid medium with 1% (w/v) sucrose. Shoot proliferation was effectively induced by using a basal Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH). PLBs cultured in SH media supplemented with 0.1 mg L-1thidiazuron (TDZ) produced a high number of shoots/PLB but had no root while those cultured in PGR free SH media or SH media supplemented with 0.5 mg L-1NAA produced lots of shoots with roots.