Efficient adventitious shoot regeneration from shoot tip culture of Vanda coerulea, a Thai orchid

Abstract

Vanda coerulea is a popular albeit endangered blue orchid of Thailand, which would be desirable to propagate using regeneration methods. Here, we studied the effects of culture media (Vacin and Went, and Murashige and Skoog), sucrose concentrations (0-30 g/l), and plant growth regulators (BA, TDZ, and NAA) on adventitious shoot regeneration from shoot tip culture of V. coerulea. Shoot tips cultured on modified Vacin and Went (VW) medium supplemented with 10 g/l sucrose showed higher shoot and root formations, as well as plantlet height than those cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium. Addition of 1 mg/l BA to the modified VW medium induced the best shoots and roots after 3 months of culture. The combination of 0.5 mg/l NAA and 2 mg/l TDZ gave the optimal number of roots per explant and plantlet height after 3 months of culture. Survival rate of plantlets cultured in the greenhouse was 100% after 3 months of culture. There were no differences in morphology or patterns of ploidy level between stock plants and regenerated plants.