Plant regeneration from callus culture of Cymbidium ensifolium var. misericors

Totipotent calli of Cymbidium ensifolium var. misericors, a locally grown orchid of high commercial value, were induced from sections of pseudobulbs, rhizomes and roots of seed-derived plantlets on 1/2-strength Murashige and Skoog medium plus 10 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.1 mg/l thiadiazuron. The calli could be maintained by subculturing in the same medium. The calli could be induced to develop further along one of three distinct morphogeneic routes: (1) production of rhizomes, (2) production of shoot buds, or (3) development of granular embryoids. Efficient mass propagation was possible via rhizome proliferation and embryoid formation. Received: 28 May 1997 / Revision received: 19 August 1997 / Acceptance: 2 September 1997