Abstract
Due to increasing demand for medicinal and horticultural uses, the Orchidaceae is in urgent need of innovative and novel propagation techniques that address both market demand and conservation. Traditionally, restoration techniques have been centered on ex situ asymbiotic or symbiotic seed germination techniques that are not cost-effective, have limited genetic potential and often result in low survival rates in the field. Here, we propose a novel in situ advanced restoration-friendly program for the endangered epiphytic orchid species Dendrobium devonianum, in which a series of in situ symbiotic seed germination trials base on conspecific fungal isolates were conducted at two sites in Yunnan Province, China. We found that percentage germination varied among treatments and locations; control treatments (no inoculum) did not germinate at both sites. We found that the optimal treatment, having the highest in situ seed germination rate (0.94-1.44%) with no significant variation among sites, supported a warm, moist and fixed site that allowed for light penetration. When accounting for seed density, percentage germination was highest (2.78-2.35%) at low densities and did not vary among locations for the treatment that supported optimal conditions. Similarly for the same treatment, seed germination ranged from 0.24 to 5.87% among seasons but also did vary among sites. This study reports on the cultivation and restoration of an endangered epiphytic orchid species by in situ symbiotic seed germination and is likely to have broad application to the horticulture and conservation of the Orchidaceae.
Highlights
Achieving a balance between biodiversity conservation and market demand for medicinal plants has become an urgent task for orchid conservationists world-wide
To restore over-collected orchid populations in the wild, a number of ex situ tissue culture techniques have historically been used for the propagation and subsequent planting of orchid propagules within their natural distributions
While many ex situ technqiues have proven effective for the generation of orchid germplasm to facilitate resortation efforts, techniques that use low cost in situ methods are preferred for the maintaince and promotion of genetic diversity within remaining orchid populations
Summary
Achieving a balance between biodiversity conservation and market demand for medicinal plants has become an urgent task for orchid conservationists world-wide. Restoration of Medicinal Orchids that supply seeds and young plants with carbon and inorganic nutrients (Rasmussen, 1995) To overcome this hurdle, and to restore over-collected orchid populations in the wild, a number of ex situ tissue culture techniques have historically been used for the propagation and subsequent planting of orchid propagules within their natural distributions. To restore over-collected orchid populations in the wild, a number of ex situ tissue culture techniques have historically been used for the propagation and subsequent planting of orchid propagules within their natural distributions These include: the generation of clones (Ipsea malabarica: Martin, 2003), the culturing of protocorms inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi (Habenaria radiata: Takahashi et al, 2008), the germination of seeds without symbiotic mycorrhizae (Paphiopedilum wardii: Zeng et al, 2012), and the use of soil to facilitate symbiotic seed germination (Spiranthes brevilabris: Stewart et al, 2003). While many ex situ technqiues have proven effective for the generation of orchid germplasm to facilitate resortation efforts, techniques that use low cost in situ methods are preferred for the maintaince and promotion of genetic diversity within remaining orchid populations
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