Production of virus-free orchidCymbidium aloifolium(L.) Sw. by various tissue culture techniques.
Orchids are affected by many viruses resulting in poor growth, yield and quality, and an overall decline in population. Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) is one of the common orchid viruses found inCymbidiumspecies but it infects different orchid genera. In this studyCymbidium aloifoliumwas propagatedin vitrousing MS medium at different strength (1.0, ½, and ¼) with or without 0.5 mg/l BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) and 0.5 mg/l NAA (Naphthalene acetic acid). To provide disease-free planting material, source plant forin vitropropagation needs to be screened for pathogenic viruses. In the present study,in vivo-grown source (mother) plants and tissue culture-derived plants ofC. aloifoliumwere tested for CymMV virus using Double antibody sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). All the tissue cultured plants were found to be 100% virus-free whereas thein vivogrown source plants were highly affected by CymMV virus (83.33%). The virus-freein vitroplantlets were multiplied in large scale and then acclimatized on earthen pot containing a mixture of cocopeat, litter and clay in the ratio of 3:2:1. Eighty five percent of acclimatized plantlets survived making this method an efficient mass production system for high quality virus-freeC. aloifoliumfor commercial floriculture and germplasm preservation.
Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Shreeti
S
Pradhan
Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Tripti
T
Regmi
Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Mukunda
M
Ranjit
Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Bijaya
B
Pant
Biological sciences; Plant biology