Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Chin-Yi Tsao, Uei-Chern Chen, and Chi-Ni Hsia*

Abstract:

    This study was conduced to determine effect to basal salts, active charcoal and vegetable/fruit homogenates on seed germination and seedling development of Bletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr in in vitro culture. Bacto agar (0.8%) and sucrose (3%) were used to prepare the five culture media, using reported basal formulations of Knudson (Knudson 1946), VW (Vacin & Went 1949), MS (Murashige & Skoog 1962), 1/2 MS, or HYPONeX 7-6-19. Results showed that seeds of B. formosana were all germinated on these basal salt media after incubation at (25 ± 1℃) for 8 days. Among the five basal salt media tested, the medium containing 1/2 MS was the best treatment for development and growth of seedling of B. formosana. Adding 0.1% active charcoal to each of the five basal salt media had no significant (P > 0.05) effects on seed germination as all the seeds germinated on each medium after incubation at (25 ± 1℃) for 50 days. Fresh weight of 50-day-old seedling was 20.0 mg/plant for the treatment of 1/2 MS + active carbon and 20.8 mg/plant for MS +  active charcoal but it was only 7.4 mg/plant for the treatment of VW + active charcoal. Adding banana or potato homogenates (at 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10%) to the medium containing 1/2 MS, with or without 0.1% active charcoal, had no negative effect on seed germination. Although both banana and potato substrates in the medium caused an increase in fresh weight of seedlings, the potato substrate was superior to the banana substrate for seedling development. This study suggests that the medium containing 1/2 MS salts, 0.1% active charcoal and 7.5% potato substrate is the best for seed germination and seedling development of B. formosana under aseptic conditions.

Key words:Bletilla formosana, Seed germination, Seedling development, In vitro culture

Download: PDF Links