A Method of Vegetative Propagation of Phalaenopsis Species and Hybrids
Gavino Rotor, jr.²

A new, simple and practical method of vegetative propagation of Phalaenopsis from flower stalks has been developed at Cornell. After the flowers have been picked the stalk is washed in tap water and rinsed in distilled water. The bracts at the nodes are then removed. These bracts cover the buds. In washing the stalk and in removing the bracts care must be taken not to injure the buds. Each bud is removed with a piece of stem three-fourths of an inch above and below it. Usually 1 or 2 nodes at the basal portion of the stalk have no bud. These are discarded. The upper portion which bore the flowers was also found to be useless. About 5 or 6 buds are useable.

The pieces are then freed of microorganisms by immersing them in a solution of calcium hypochlorite. The solution is prepared as for disinfection of orchid seed (Knudson, 1922). The pieces of shoot are immersed for from two to five minutes and then "planted' in flasks, test tubes, or bottles containing Knudson's Solution C as used for germination of orchid seed (Knudson, 1946). In "planting" the pieces are simply laid on the surface of the agar. The cultures may be kept in any room that is suitable for germinating orchid seeds.

The author has obtained active growth (swelling of the bud and the appearence of the first leaf) after 2 weeks. Sometimes growth may not occur until after 2 months. In general, conspicuous, well-developed buds grow earlier than small ones and the larger the diameter of the flower stalk, the more vigorous the plants produced. Out of 65 buds that have been cultured only 7 have failed to develop into plants. Roots appear after 2 or 3 leaves have been produced. These plants may then be transplanted to pots.

Literature Cited

1. Knudson, L. - Nonsymbiotic germination of orchid seeds. Bot. Gaz. 73:1-25. 1922.

2. Knudson, L. - A new nutrient solution for orchid seed. Am. Orchid Soc. Bul. 15:214-217. 1946.