Articles
Orchid conservation and sustainable utilization at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Article number
1455_14
Pages
115 – 120
Language
English
Abstract
Orchids have been used since ancient times for medicine, food, and beauty.
It is one of the largest flowering plant families with about 28,000 species and approximately over 750 genera.
There are 1,761 known native orchid species in China.
About 23 genera and 349 species have been listed into national key protected plants.
Natural disasters, deforestation, and over-collection of wild orchids for trade have placed orchid species at risk of extinction.
Therefore, conservation, as well as sustainable utilization are urgently needed in every part of the world.
At the Center for Gardening and Horticulture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), various methods of in situ and ex situ conservation of wild orchid species, as well as artificial propagation are implemented, namely reintroduction into the wild, seed germination, propagation, and tissue culture, such as Pahhiopedilum spicerianum. Orchid sustainable utilization through cultivation for both species and hybrids at XTBG, CAS has been developed for about 20 years.
Major growing factors in natural growing habitats are implemented for appropriate cultivation.
They are altitude, light, temperature, relative humidity, nutrients, and air movement.
To be successful in orchid sustainable utilization, a complete cycle of orchid utilization needs traditional knowledge, appropriate conservation methods, breeding program for increasing their outstanding cultivars and horticultural value, propagation, planting materials, containers, watering, fertilizer, pest control, and postharvest technology.
In addition, further research, disseminating knowledge to local people, and low-cost greenhouses with appropriate growing conditions are necessary to be developed.
It is one of the largest flowering plant families with about 28,000 species and approximately over 750 genera.
There are 1,761 known native orchid species in China.
About 23 genera and 349 species have been listed into national key protected plants.
Natural disasters, deforestation, and over-collection of wild orchids for trade have placed orchid species at risk of extinction.
Therefore, conservation, as well as sustainable utilization are urgently needed in every part of the world.
At the Center for Gardening and Horticulture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), various methods of in situ and ex situ conservation of wild orchid species, as well as artificial propagation are implemented, namely reintroduction into the wild, seed germination, propagation, and tissue culture, such as Pahhiopedilum spicerianum. Orchid sustainable utilization through cultivation for both species and hybrids at XTBG, CAS has been developed for about 20 years.
Major growing factors in natural growing habitats are implemented for appropriate cultivation.
They are altitude, light, temperature, relative humidity, nutrients, and air movement.
To be successful in orchid sustainable utilization, a complete cycle of orchid utilization needs traditional knowledge, appropriate conservation methods, breeding program for increasing their outstanding cultivars and horticultural value, propagation, planting materials, containers, watering, fertilizer, pest control, and postharvest technology.
In addition, further research, disseminating knowledge to local people, and low-cost greenhouses with appropriate growing conditions are necessary to be developed.
Authors
K. Thammasiri, H. Dai, L.Z. Qian, H.P. Xi, X.J. Wang, L. Tang, J.M. Lu, Y.X. Xiao, F.C. Wu, Y.P. Yang
Keywords
orchid species, conservation, sustainable utilization, a complete cycle of orchid utilization
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