Studies on the microbial diseases of dendrobium hybrid (orchids)

There is no baseline data available at present on the nature of various diseases that occur in a orchid population, under cultivation, in any commercial orchid farm maintained by small scale entrepreneurs who invest considerable amount of money, effort and time. The available data on type of disease symptoms, causative agent, , nature of pathogens, as to bacteria or ftmgi or any other biological agents, and their source, appropriate and effective control measures could not be devised, for large scale implementation and effective management, although arbitrary methods are being practiced by very few farms. Further influence of seasonal variations and environmental factors on disease outbreak is also not scientifically documented and statistically verified as to their authenticity. In this context, the primary objective of the present study was to create a data bank on the following aspects 1. Occurrence of different disease symptoms in Dendrobium hybrid over a period of one year covering all seasons 2. Variations in the environmental parameters at the orchid farms 3. Variations in the characteristics of water used for irrigation in the selected orchid farm 4. Microbial population associated with the various disease symptoms 5. Isolation and identification of bacteria isolated from diseased plants 6. Statistical treatment of the quantitative data and evolving statistical model

Propagation, growth, and carbohydrates of Dendrobium Second Love (Orchidaceae) in vitro as affected by sucrose, light, and dark

In general, plant material grown in vitro has low photosynthetic ability to achieve positive carbon balances. Therefore, a continuous supply of carbohydrates from the culture medium is required, and sucrose has been the most commonly used carbon source. In this paper, we investigate the effects of different sucrose concentrations and the presence and absence of light on the endogenous levels of soluble carbohydrates and starch as well as on the proliferation and growth of Dendrobium Second Love (Orchidaceae) in vitro. The possibility of using etiolated stem segments as a means for micropropagating this hybrid was also verified. The results obtained indicated that the presence and absence of light and the sucrose concentrations used influenced the amounts of soluble carbohydrates and starch and the proliferation of D. Second Love shoots and roots. An increase in sucrose concentration caused a progressive increase in the amounts of total carbohydrates and starch. Under both light conditions, sucrose was the main sugar found in the shoots followed by glucose and fructose. The addition of sucrose to the culture medium up to 2% and 4% was advantageous to the number of shoots produced per explant and the root longitudinal growth in the presence and absence of light, respectively. Shoot and root dry matter and the number of roots formed per explant increased as sucrose concentration was raised up to 6% in both light treatments. The use of dark-grown shoot segments proved to be a useful and reliable alternative for the micropropagation of this hybrid.

Cryopreservation of Dendrobium hybrid seeds and protocorms as affected by phloroglucinol and Supercool X1000

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Growth of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. as related with nutrient concentration in the growing media

Dendrobium nobile orchids were grown for three years in different substrates (tree fern fiber, blocks of pressed coconut bark, bark of Eucalyptus grandis, mixtures with coconut bark blocks and eucalyptus bark and mixtures with the latter materials and charcoal. Plant growth increased with higher concentrations of S (up to 1.6 g/kg), Cu (up to 46 mg/kg) and Zn (up to 147 mg/kg), and decreased with higher concentrations of Ca (up to 13.2 g/kg), Mg (up to 6.6 g/kg) and B (up to 19 mg/kg). High Mo (up to 5.3 mg/kg) caused a more intense loss of leaves after planting. Relations between nutrient concentrations also affected plant growth. With exception of eucalyptus bark, all growing media under study were suitable for plant growth.

Seedling Development and Evaluation of Genetic Stability of Cryopreserved Dendrobium Hybrid Mature Seeds

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro conservation of Dendrobium germplasm

Dendrobium is a large genus in the family Orchidaceae that exhibits vast diversity in floral characteristics, which is of considerable importance to orchid breeders, biotechnologists and collectors. Native species have high value as a result of their medicinal properties, while their hybrids are important as ornamental commodities, either as cut flowers or potted plants and are thus veritable industrial crops. Thus, preservation of Dendrobium germplasm is valuable for species conservation, breeding programs and the floriculture industry. Cryopreservation represents the only safe, efficient and cost-effective long-term storage option to facilitate the conservation of genetic resources of plant species. This review highlights 16 years of literature related to the preservation of Dendrobium germplasm and comprises the most comprehensive assessment of thorough studies performed to date, which shows reliable and reproducible results. Air-drying, encapsulation-dehydration, encapsulation-vitrification, vitrification and droplet-vitrification are the current cryopreservation methodologies that have been used to cryopreserve Dendrobium germplasm. Mature seeds, pollen, protoplasts, shoot primordia, protocorms and somatic embryos or protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) have been cryopreserved with different levels of success. Encapsulation-vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration are the most used protocol, while PLBs represent the main explant explored.

Dendrobium moschatum

AR

Orchideen: Dendrobium moschatum - Ericina echinata - Sarcanthus teretifolius

AR

Direct regeneration of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) from leaf apices of Oncidium flexuosum Sims (Orchidaceae)

The present study describes the direct regeneration of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) in leaf explants of the tropical species Oncidium flexuosum. The explants were inoculated in a solid, modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of the growth regulator thidiazuron (TDZ) and with or without 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and kept away from light or in a 16-h photoperiod. The presence of auxins, 2,4-D, and NAA inhibited the formation of PLBs. The highest frequency of explants that regenerated PLBs (80%) was obtained when they were maintained in a culture medium containing 1.5 mu M TDZ under dark conditions. In the same culture medium but under a 16-h photoperiod, 95% of the leaf explants presented necrosis. Therefore, darkness was crucial for the regeneration of PLBs in O. flexuosum leaf explants, which is in disagreement with the literature. PLBs developed from the division of epidermal and subepidermal cells mainly on the adaxial side of the apex region of the explant. Plants with well-developed leaves and roots grew after the PLBs were transferred to growth regulator-free medium under a 16-h photoperiod.

Efeito de exsudatos de cultura de células de plantas em juvenis de segundo estádio de Meloidogyne incognita

Calus foram obtidos de tomateiro (Lycopersicon esculentum), cafeeiro (Coffea arabica), alfafa (Medicago sativa), orquídea (Dendrobium nobile), mostarda (Brassica rapa), batata doce (Ipomoea batatas), fumo (Nicotiana tabacum), cenoura (Daucus carota) e Crotalaria juncea em meio sólido de Murashige & Skoog (MS) seguido do cultivo em meio líquido MS em temperatura de 25-28 ºC. Após um mês, a suspensão foi passada em membrana Millipore 0,22 µm, obtendo-se, assim, o exsudato da cultura de células de cada planta testada. Ovos ou juvenis de segundo estádio (J2) de Meloidogyne incognita foram incubados nesses exsudatos e avaliadas as percentagens de eclosão, mobilidade e mortalidade dos J2. Com exceção dos ovos incubados em exsudato de orquídea, todos os demais inibiram a eclosão quando comparados com a incubação em água (testemunha). Entretanto, nos exsudatos de L. esculentum, cafeeiro e C. juncea a inibição foi mais drástica, semelhante ao aldicarb, mas significativamente diferente e menor do que em soluções contendo ingredientes do meio MS (1-5). Todos os exsudatos reduziram a mobilidade e aumentaram a mortalidade, com maior intensidade em 24 h de exposição. Porém, maior redução na mobilidade ocorreu nos exsudatos de tomateiro e alfafa, enquanto maior mortalidade no exsudato de tomateiro, seguido pelo de mostarda.

Controle químico de brilhantina (Pilea microphylla) no cultivo de orquídeas

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia do oxyfluorfen no controle da brilhantina (Pilea microphylla) em cultivo de orquídeas. Foram realizados dois experimentos, no delineamento de blocos ao acaso, no esquema fatorial 2 x 7, com três repetições. Um dos experimentos foi constituído por duas espécies de orquídeas (Epidendrum ibaguensis e Dendrobium sp.) e sete doses de oxyfluorfen (0,000, 0,024, 0,072, 0,144, 0,216, 0,288 e 0,36 L ha-1 do i.a.), pulverizadas em área total, e o outro, pelas mesmas espécies e sete concentrações de oxyfluorfen (0,00000 0,00036, 0,00072, 0,00144, 0,00288, 0,00576 e 0,01152% do i.a.), aplicadas em pulverização dirigida na brilhantina, sem atingir as folhas de orquídea. Cada unidade experimental foi representada por um vaso, com uma planta de orquídea, infestado com brilhantina. Aos 15, 30 e 60 dias após a aplicação do herbicida (DAA), foram realizadas avaliações visuais de toxidez na orquídea e de controle de brilhantina, utilizando-se a escala de 0 (ausência de toxidez) a 100 (morte das plantas). Não houve interação entre fatores, espécie e dose ou concentração do herbicida nem diferença no comportamento do herbicida entre as espécies, no que se refere às características avaliadas, em nenhum dos experimentos. Não foram observados sintomas de toxidez nas plantas de orquídea em nenhum dos tratamentos avaliados. Verificou-se controle eficiente de brilhantina, acima de 90%, para as doses superiores a 0,26 e 0,25 L ha- 1, aos 30 e 60 dias DAA, respectivamente, na aplicação em área total; e nas concentrações superiores a 0,0020 e 0,0019%, aos 30 e 60 DAA, respectivamente, na aplicação dirigida. O oxyfluorfen promoveu eficiente controle de brilhantina através da pulverização em área total e dirigida, sem causar danos às plantas de orquídeas.

Identification and characterization of a potyvirus isolated from siratro plants

The present work describes the identification and characterization of a potyvirus isolated from siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb.) in the north-west region of the State of Sdo Paulo, Brazil. The virus was transmitted by mechanical inoculation. Its host range was restricted mainly to members of the Fabaceae. A cDNA fragment of about 930 bp was amplified by RT/PCR, cloned and sequenced. The fragment, which included the coat protein gene, had amino acid identity percentages between 88 and 98% with isolates of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV). Phylogenetic analysis grouped the. siratro potyvirus and BCMV isolates in 99% of the replicates, including Azuki mosaic virus, Dendrobium mosaic virus, Blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and Peanut stripe virus, which have been classified as BCMV strains. This is the first citation on the presence of BCMV in siratro plants in Brazil.

Desenvolvimento e acúmulo de nutrientes em duas espécies de orquídeas: Dendorobium nobile Lindl. e Miltonia flavescens Lindl. var. stellata Regel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Criopreservação, indução de poliploidia e avaliação da estabilidade genética de orquídeas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Genética e Melhoramento de Plantas) - FCAV

Anatomia foliar de espécies de Bulbophyllum, seção Micranthae Barb. Rodr. (Orchidaceae) e sua correlação com a taxonomia

Orchidaceae é uma das maiores famílias de Angiospermas, com distribuição cosmopolita, sendo que Bulbophyllum é o maior gênero da família, com mais de 1200 espécies. A seção Micranthae apresenta 12 espécies distribuídas na América do Sul e com grande representatividade no Brasil. A interpretação das Orchidaceae de maneira geral, é dificultada pela grande diversidade de espécies, gerando problemas taxonômicos. Visando levantar caracteres diagnósticos para as espécies e estados de caráter compartilhados entre elas, foram realizados estudos anatômicos das folhas de 11 espécies de Bulbophyllum seção Micranthae e de outras três espécies de Bulbophyllum constituindo o grupo externo. As estruturas anatômicas: epiderme unisseriada com cera epicuticular espessa; estômatos tetracíticos com câmaras supraestomáticas; presença de hipoderme e de feixes vasculares colaterais caracterizam as espécies estudadas. A forma cilíndrica da folha de Bulbophyllum insectiferum Barb. Rodr. é caráter diagnóstico da espécie, assim como a ausência de idioblastos traqueoidais de paredes espessadas em Dendrobium kingianum Bidwill ex Lindl. A morfologia das folhas, forma da lâmina foliar em secção transversal, forma das células epidérmicas em vista frontal, tipo de mesofilo, tipos de cristais e número de feixes vasculares são caracteres que permitem agrupamentos entre as espécies analisadas. Esses caracteres serão utilizados numa futura análise cladística procurando auxiliar a filogenia do grupo