SYNTHESIS OF ORNAMENTAL HYBRID ORCHIDS USING RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES

To reduce the threatening pressure on the orchids in wild, an attempt has been made to synthesize hybrids, particularly ornamental ones, using certain rare and endangered species as parents. Aerides odoratum Lour., Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schlltr. var. auranticum Pradhan, Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe, Vanda coerulea Griff.
Ex.L., V. stangeana Reichb.f., and V. testacea (L.) Reichb.f. are some of the rare and endangered orchids selected as potential parents based on rarity and endangerness on one hand and high aesthetic value on the other. R. imschootiana is classified under Appendix I of CITES. A. auranticum and V. stangeana are endemic to Manipur – a region within the Indo-Burmese mega-biodiversity ‘hotspot’. For the last ten years attempts have been made to synthesise hybrid orchids using these species as a potential parent.
Five of the hybrids have successfully flowered and subsequently registered with the Royal Horticultural Society, London. Ascocenda Kangla (V. coerulea × A. auranticum), Renantanda Prof GJ Sharma (V. testacea × R. imschootian), Renantanda Kebisana Shija (R. imschootiana × V. coerulea), Aeridovanda Shiv Sidhu (A. odoratum × V. stangeana), and Renantanda Momon Shija (R. imschootiana × V. stangeana) are the synthesized hybrid orchids.
Details of their syntheses and development of in vitro propagation strategies have been described in brief.

International Workshop on Ornamental Plants

R. Kishor, G.J. Sharma

orchid breeding, biodiversity, Orchidaceae, CITES, Orchidarium

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.788.8