In: Phyton 60, Fasc. (2020): S. 41-47 DOI: 10.12905/0380.phyton60-2020-0041; Published online on 09 December 2020

In-situ symbiotic germination of Cymbidium tortisepalum var. longibracteatum F1 hybrid seeds associated with the wild variety (Orchidaceae)

Jie Li, Ren-rui Wang, Ping Kuang, Qiao Zhang, Mengmeng Shan & Xing Liu
with 3 figures and 2 tables

Key words: Cymbidium tortisepalum var. longibracteatum, in-situ, symbiotic germination.

Summary
Li J., Wang R., Kuang P., Zhang Q., Shan M. & Liu X. 2019. In-situ symbiotic germination of Cymbidium tortisepalum var. longibracteatum F1 hybrid seeds associated with the wild variety (Orchidaceae). – Phyton (Horn, Austria) 60: 41–47, with 3 figures and 2 tables.*
Wild populations of Cymbidium tortisepalum var. longibracteatum (Orchidaceae) located in Southwest China have become endangered due to attacks of pests, diseases, natural hazards, and over-exploitation during recent years. In order to provide a theoretical and technical basis for the re-introduction of wild C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum on a larger scale, the in-situ germination of C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum F1 hybrid seeds associated with the wild variety were studied. The F1 hybrid seeds were obtained from hybrids of C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum cv. ‘Yuhaitang’ and cv. ‘Huangmei’. The results showed that C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum has strong cross-compatibility, with a hybridization seed set propagation coefficient between 92.3 and 96.5 %. Germination percentages of F1 hybrid seeds 24 months after sowing differed significantly among the various treatments, whether associated with wild adult C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum or not. When associated with wild adult C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum, germination percentage in leaf-mould was as high as 6.93%, and the percentage of subsequent developmental stages after 24 months was significantly higher than in other treatments. In addition, the rhizomes and protocorms became significantly larger under those favorable conditions. These findings can be useful for yielding high germination percentages in-situ and provide a convenient protocol to enhance re-introduction of C. tortisepalum var. longibracteatum into the natural environment.