Micropropagation of Vanda orchid as influenced by different culture media

Abstract

The mature pods of Vanda sp. were used as ex-plant. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with
different supplements and additives viz. MS + 0.2 g/l charcoal, MS + 2.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l IAA +
0.2 g/l charcoal and MS + without charcoal were tested for large- scale multiplication of native orchid,
Vanda sp. Among the treatments, MS + 2.0 mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l IAA + 0.2 g/l charcoal was found to
be the best for seed germination. In this medium, minimum days were required for seed germination
(45–50 days) and plantlet formation (64-68 days). The highest shoot length (4.3 cm), leaf number
(4.2), leaf length (3.1 cm), leaf width (0.4 cm), root length (1.8 cm) were also obtained in MS + 2.0
mg/l BAP + 1.0 mg/l IAA + 0.2 g/l charcoal. Root number was highest when media were
supplemented with charcoal. MS medium supplemented with high concentration of BAP and low
concentration of IAA was found to be efficient for maximum multiplication of shoot and root. The in
vitro developed healthy rooted plantlets of Vanda orchid were successfully acclimatized in plastic pots
containing coconut fibre. This protocol might be useful for rapid multiplication of Vanda orchid through
seed culture.