Development of an Effective Sterilisation Procedure for Exposed Seeds from the Dehisced Capsule using Centrifugation Method and Successful Asymbiotic Seed Germination in Phaius tankervilleae (Banks ex L’Herit) Bl.

By : Rajib Borah , Leoris Malngiang , Nripemo Odyuo , Hiranjit Choudhury

Page No: 195-204

Abstract
Asymbiotic seed germination has revolutionised the commercial production of exotic orchids as well as conservation of rare and endemic ones. However, the success of the process largely depends on the sterilisation procedure adopted to disinfect the minute dust like orchid seeds. The present study incorporates the technique of centrifugation method to successfully disinfect the exposed seeds obtained from the dehisced capsule of Phaius tankervilleae, which is an ornamental orchid endemic to Northeast India. The seeds of P. tankervilleae showed 100% disinfection as well as germination efficiency (with 5% NaOCl and 8 mins exposure) with no risk of physical damage to the seeds due to the centrifugation process (4 mins at 4000 rpm under 4?C). Inoculated seeds showed the first sign of swollen embryos (PLBs) after 5 weeks of culture in Murashige and Skoog (1962) (MS) medium. PLBs obtained were subcultured on MS medium supplemented with different plant growth regulators for healthy proliferation and shoot multiplication. MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L each of BAP and KN resulted in best overall shoot and root development. Therefore, the present study reports a simple yet effective sterilisation procedure to disinfect exposed P. tankervilleae seeds which is quick, easy and very efficient for mass scale propagation as well as ex-situ conservation of this valuable orchid species and other orchid species as well.

Author :
Rajib Borah : Division of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, School of Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India.
Leoris Malngiang : Division of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, School of Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India.
Nripemo Odyuo : Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Meghalaya, India.
Hiranjit Choudhury : Division of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, School of Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPSR.2022.38.01.20