MICROPROPAGATION, DECONTAMINATION, TRANSCONTINENTAL SHIPPING AND HYDROPONIC GROWTH OF CATTLEYA WHILE SEALED IN SEMIPERMEABLE-MEMBRANE VESSELS

Two varieties of Cattleya orchids (Cattleya loddigessi 'Elen' x C. lod digessi Alba 'Extra' and Brassolaeliocattleya. Mem. 'Helen Brown' Swee t Afton) were micropropagated in sealed, 3-dimensional polypropylene v essels with microporous, semipermeable membrane films. Plantlets in th ese vessels were grown in vitro and shipped, including post-storage re covery in a hydroponic system. During tissue culture on sugar-containi ng media, chance contaminants were eliminated on the vessels' outer su rface. Decontamination did not affect biomass, carbohydrate content or subsequent growth of tissues contained within the vessels. Plantlets were shipped From Japan to the United States and arrived without chang es in fresh or dry weight of whole plantlets, however, shoot dry weigh t increased significantly. Sucrose, glucose and fructose reserves esta blished on sugar containing media were utilized during shipping while shoot dry weight increased. Plantlets grew photoautotrophically in hyd roponic culture in the greenhouse in the same sealed-membrane vessels. Carbohydrate concentration of plantlets following hydroponic culture was not significantly different than levels after the shipping process . Sealed-membrane vessels for micropropagation, decontamination, shipp ing and greenhouse growth were useful for culture of Cattleya a and fa cilitate scale-up of materials handling and international commerce of tissue-cultured plants. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.