In vivo Germination of Encapsulated Orchid Seeds of- Epidendrum radicans

The orchid seeds are naked embryos without any nutritive tissue to support them for germination in vivo. In nature, they germinate symbiotically when they come in contact with mycorrhiza found in the mother root tufts. Orchid capsule consists of hundreds or thousands of seeds which go waste without germination. The role of mycorrhiza is to convert starch into simple glucose which provides nutrition for the germinating seeds. Orchid breeders use in vitro technique to culture the orchid seeds with various growth hormones. An attempt was made to grow orchid seeds in vivo by encapsulating them with calcium alginate similar to the production of synthetic seeds. Epidendrum radicans seeds were encapsulated with calcium alginate. The sodium alginate gel was prepared using Vacin and Went medium supplemented with 100 ml L-1 CW, 2 mg L-1 NAA, and 20 g L-1 sucrose. The encapsulation was carried out aseptically and the seeds were successfully germinated in the sterilized soilrite medium.