MICROPROPAGATION OF PHALAENOPSIS AND DORITAENOPSIS BY CULTURING SHOOTTIPS OF FLOWER STALK BUDS

Green Protocorm-like Bodies (PLB) with high multiplication capacity we re induced from shoot tips of flower stalk buds having 1 or 2 leaf pri mordia using New Dogashima Medium (NDM) containing 0.1 mg l-1 alpha-na phthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 1 mg l-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The se PLB were subcultured on the same medium. More than 10,000 PLBs were obtained from a few buds on a single flower stalk within one year. Af ter transfer onto NDM containing no plant growth regulator (PGR), the PLB developed into plantlets. The micropropagation method formulated i n this study was applicable to 12 different genotypes. These results s uggest that the methodology could be used on a commercial scale for ve getative propagation of Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis.