Optimization of Liquid Medium for Increasing the Biomass of Dactylorhiza Hatagirea D.DON

Abstract

The orchid Dactylorhiza Hatagirea, a critically endangered species, is a medicinal orchid used to cure various diseases including dysentery; diarrhea; chronic fever; cough; stomach ache; wounds; fractures; cuts; burns and general weakness. It is indigenous to the Himalayas and exclusively found in the Ladakh (altitude -3000 meters) region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. They are of great value to floriculture industry as cut flowers and potted plants. The field grown microshoots were taken and cultured on both liquid and solid MS media, and maximum biomass (6.29 ± 0.20) was obtained in plantlets cultured in liquid media containing BAP (3mg/l) and IBA (4mg/l). Mass multiplication of shoots and roots was observed. The in- vitro grown plantlets were again subcultured on fresh media for further mass multiplication. Plantlets containing 2-3 shoots were transferred to potting mixture containing coco peat, vermiculite and perlite (1:1:1), for acclimatization to field conditions and further multiplication. One hundred percent survival was obtained after one month of the transplantation in the green house. In present study the culturing conditions of Dactylorhiza hatagirea has been successfully optimized. This study holds the robust potential in large scale production of the plant and secondary metabolite production.