UPRAWA / ROZMNAŻANIE / 3

Asymbiotic micropropagation of orchids from seeds (flasking)

4.
For this particular exercise you will be working with either a large flowered hybrids of Phalaenopsis ...

5.
...and/or the species Dendrobium antennatum

We consider these species to be particularly well suited for this laboratory exercise for the following reasons:

Predictable flowering - Dendrobium, year round; Phal. will flower in 2 months at 20C, or 2-3 months at 25-30C
Large Seed Size - Dendrobium is particularly large seeded
High rate and percentage of germination
High growth rate in vitro
Contrast monopodial (Phal.) with sympodial growth habit (Dendrobium)

Question: what is the difference between monopodial and sympodial orchid growth habits?

6.
In order to experience all the major stages of orchid in vitro seed propagation, students will perform 3 exercises all on the same day, including seed sterilization and sowing, in vitro seedling transfer to fresh medium, and outplanting of germinated and transfered seedlings from the lab to the greenhouse.

The first advance activity (1 year in advance of student lab) is flower pollenation. This is necessary since orchid seeds generally are not commercially available. Although you will not be pollenating flowers or harvesting seed, the proceedure is described and illustrated below for your edification.

7.
With a pair of fine tipped forceps (or even a pencil point) the pollinium is removed from the pollen donor plant

Question: what is the difference between pollinium and pollen?