Terrestrial Orchid Seed Germination in Vitro on a Defined Medium1

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Abstract
Seeds of 29 terrestrial orchid species representing 15 genera were surface sterilized by immersion in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite containing a wetting agent, washed, sown on a completely defined, semisolid embryo culture medium containing macro- and microelements, sucrose, amino acids, and vitamins, and incubated in the dark at 25°C. Six months after sowing, 16 species from 9 genera germinated and continued development while 13 species from 10 genera failed to germinate. Species of Cypripedium, Goodyera, Platanthera and Spiranthes differed in response in that one or more of each germinated and one or more did not. Seedling development was similar for most germinating species and progressed to the formation of a shoot or shoot initial in all but one. Apparently the mycorrhizal association thought to be required for terrestrial orchid seed germination and early seedling development can be replaced with aseptic culture on a completely defined medium for many terrestrial orchids.

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