Cymbidium aloifolium is known for its ornamental and medicinal values. It has been listed as threatened orchid species. In this study, in vitro propagated C. aloifolium plantlets were interacted with the Piriformospora indica. The growth assay was performed for 45 days; the plant growth pattern such as number and length of roots and shoots were measured. Microscopic study of the root section stained by trypan blue was done to detect the peloton formation. The methanol extracts of the fungal colonized plant as well as uncolonized (control) plant were prepared and various metabolites were identified by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. Acclimatization was done in a substrate composition of coco peat: gravel: charcoal in ratio 2:2:1. P. indica-colonized plantlet showed the highest growth with the formation of clamdospore in the root section. The growth regulator such as auxin, ascorbic acid, andrographolide, hexadecanoic acid, and DL-proline were identified. After three months of field transfer, plantlet colonized by P. indica survived and remained healthy as compared to uncolonized control plantlet.

The immature seeds of Dendrobiumchryseum, asympodial epiphytic orchid with yellow flowers, were cultured in vitro, and the resultant protocorms were used as explants for seedling development. Protocorms were cultured on½ M.S. medium fortified with Kinetin (Kn), 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), and Gibberellic Acid (GA3) in three concentrations (0.5mg/l, 1.0mg/land 2.0 mg/l) both alone and supplemented with 5% and 10% coconut water (C.W.). The highest number of shootsofD. chryseum developed on ½ - M.S. medium fortified with 2.0mg/lofKn and10% C.W. and the longest shootsdeveloped on ½ M.S. media fortified with 1.0mg/lGA3, and 10% C.W. The shoot derived from protocorms were placed in ½ M.S. medium fortified with three different rooting hormones, Indole -3- acetic acid (IAA), Indole -3-butyric acid (IBA) and α-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) in different concentrations alone as well as with each 1.0mg/l hormone combined with 10% C.W. The most effective of these media was ½ M.S. medium fortified with 1.5 mg/l IAA for rooting as well as for the production of longest roots. The present study could be useful for standardizing the protocol for mass propagation of the endangered orchid Dendrobiumchryseum.

The Vanda pumila is a monopodial orchid with beautiful flowers that are native to Thailand but now found across South Asia. The immature seeds of Vanda pumila were used for in vitro culture and then the protocorms developed were used as explants for seedling development and mass propagation. Protocorms were cultured on 1/2 MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium fortified separately with Kinetin (Kn), 6-Benzyl amino purine (BAP) and Gibberellic Acid (GA3) each in different concentrations as (0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L and 2.0 mg/L) well as each on each concentrations of each medium supplemented with 5% and 10% coconut water (CW) respectively. The greatest number of shoots (9.50 ± 0.29 shoots per culture) was developed on 1/2 MS medium fortified with 1.0 mg/L Kn plus 10% CW and the longest shoots (0.78 ± 0.07 cm per culture) developed on 1/2 MS medium fortified with 2.0 mg/L BAP plus 10% CW. The shoots derived from protocorms were then developed on 1/2 MS medium fortified with three different rooting hormones viz. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and α-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), each in four concentrations (0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 1.5 mg/L and 2.0 mg/L) as well as 1.0 mg/L of each hormone supplemented with 10% CW. The 1/2 MS medium fortified with 0.5 mg/L IAA was found to be the most effective condition for the development of maximum number of root (5 ± 0.0 roots per culture) and root length (0.93 ± 0.07 cm). Hence, the present study could be useful for standardizing the protocol for mass propagation of the endangered orchid V. pumila.

No abstract

Ex-situ conservation of the ornamental and medicinal orchid, Coelogyne stricta, was performed by mass propagation using seed culture. Propagation stages were optimized using full-and half-strength solidified MS medium with different phytohormones. Maximum seed germination (88 ± 0.5% over 6 weeks of culture) was achieved on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 15% coconut water. Maximum shoot numbers were found on full-strength MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/L BAP, 2 mg/L Kinetin, and 10% coconut water, while the longest root was developed on full-strength MS medium with 1.5 mg/L IBA. A 2:1:1 combination of coco-peat, pine bark, and sphagnum moss was found to be a suitable potting mixture resulting in 80% seedling survivability. The cytotoxic activity of extracts of both wild plants and in vitro-developed protocorms was determined using an MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on a cervical cancer cell line. The wild plant extract inhibited the growth of 41.99% of cells, showing that this extract has moderate cytotoxic activity toward cervical cancer cells.