Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
In vitro propagation and field establishment of Pomatocalpa decipiens (Lindl.) J. J. Sm.: a rare epiphytic orchid with small populations
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Jena Sulagna Subhasmita, Behera Debashish, Sahu Rabinarayan, Nayak Nihar Ranjan
Research Articles | Published: 03 December, 2025
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Keywords: Conservation, Growth regulators, Rarity, Seed germination, Seedlings, Tissue culture
Abstract
Pomatocalpa decipiens (Lindl.) J. J. Sm. is an epiphytic orchid, its populations are reported in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This study aimed to develop an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for the orchid using seeds and seedlings as the explants to aid in its conservation. Effects of the age of the seeds, nutrient composition and plant growth regulators on the production of new plants were studied. Nine-month-old seeds were collected and cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s, 1962 (MS) nutrient medium and the rate of germination was 15.2%. In order to enhance the seed germination rate and to produce healthy leaves and roots, different plant growth regulators were added to the nutrient medium; MS nutrient medium supplemented with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) 0.25 mg/l and Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 1.0 mg/l showed the highest seed germination rate of 55%. Young seedlings were cultured on MS medium containing plant growth regulators for the production of new plantlets in large numbers. MS medium supplemented with 5.0 mg/l BAP developed 14 plantlets from the seedlings at 365 days of culture. Roots were efficiently induced from newly produced seedlings or plantlets with the use of NAA 2.0 mg/l. The seedlings and plantlets were successfully acclimated in the greenhouse and the survival rates were 98%. The methods developed could be used for the production of planting materials in large numbers and are highly useful for the conservation of the orchid. This study is the first report on the development of propagation methods for the members of the Pomatocalpa genus.
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Author Information
Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar, India