PROMOTING GERMINATION AND REGENERATION OF SPIRANTHES SINENSIS USING AUXIN AND RHIZOME SECTION CULTURE: CONSERVATION PROSPECTS

For the conservation of temperate orchids of Kashmir Himalaya various steps were carried out and a number of orchid speciesgrowing in the Kashmir Himalaya were subjected to ex-situ conservation strategies using different plant parts like pseudobulbs, adventitious roots, tubers and rhizome sections etc. Auxins particularly IBA have been found to induce germination and plantlet regeneration in rhizome sections of Spiranthes sinensis (Pers.) Ames. The apical bud elongated and developed into shoot in pots. The shoots grew well and flowered in 2-3 months. The results obtained suggest that this vulnerable medicinal orchid can be propagated easily through rhizome sectionsso as to achieve its mass multiplication.