Conservation of endemic orchids

In the last days of 2022, the greenhouse area of ​​the Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology of the South Central Coast (DHNTB) is greened with potted orchids – endemic plants in the natural forests of a nature reserve Toan is located in the commune of An Toan (An Lao District, Binh Dinh), which is being preserved by the institute’s scientists using a tissue culture method (in vitro propagation) for the growth of thousands of plants in order to prepare them for supplying the players Lunar New Year of the Rabbit 2023.

According to Master Le Duc Dung, deputy head of the Department of Vegetables-Flowers-Ornamentals of the DHNTB Institute of Science and Technology, the characteristics of the Dai Chau orchid line are that it blooms on the occasion of Tet, has a distinctive fragrance, and the flowers are white with purple dots, which is preferred by the players. “Dai Chau orchids usually bloom at the end of the lunar month, the flowers droop, the lips are purple. Orchids have high durability, players can enjoy all of January next year,” said Master Dung.

Faced with the threat of orchids being exploited by humans in the natural forest, a research team from the Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (DHNTB) collected the fruits of orchids from the forest of An Toan (An Lao district) 6 years ago. Phase Physiological maturation phase, then apply tissue culture method to maintain and develop the precious orchid lineage. Currently, in the greenhouse area of ​​DHNTB Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology in Nhon Phu Ward (Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh), there are 1,000 pots of Dai Chau orchids which are 7 years old, 70% of which will give flowers on Lunar New Year, year of the rabbit 2023.

The potted orchids in the greenhouse area of ​​the Institute of Science and Technology of Agriculture and Rural Development DHNTB now mostly have 10-12 leaves. The leaves of the orchid are horizontal, symmetrically bent downwards, the stem is arranged in 2 rows opposite each other, the leaves of this row alternate with the leaves of the other row, the length of the leaves is 30-40 cm, the width of the leaves is 4-5 cm.

According to Master Le Duc Dung, it takes about 2 months from planting the seed in the growing medium until the seed germinates. Then continue to select healthy, developing embryos to transfer to the seedling medium. After 2 months, the plants continue to be transplanted onto the complete plant growth medium.

When plants have 4-5 roots and 2 full leaves, they are trained to get used to the temperature and light conditions in the nursery, which improves the seedling survival rate when planted. Dai Chau orchids grow 2-3 leaves every year, in the 4th and 5th year they bloom.

“Typically, every year in the 7th lunar month, Dai Chau orchids distinguish flower buds from long days to short days due to the light conditions. Orchids are grown in greenhouses to avoid rain and thus limit rot diseases. If the orchid is planted outdoors after the rain, it must be watered to wash the leaves to avoid rot,” shared Master Dung.

Owning orchids at extremely “soft” prices

With the increasing demand for forest orchids, especially orchids, the exploitation of this orchid in the natural forest is also increasing, threatening the orchid with extinction.

While the seeds of orchids, like other orchids, are seeds without an endosperm, they do not germinate under normal conditions, but must be symbiotically specific in order to germinate. Overexploitation has meant that the amount of orchid seed dispersal in the wild is decreasing. In addition, climate change and human influences have reduced the area of ​​natural forests, resulting in the loss of suitable habitat for orchids. Therefore, in natural conditions, it is very difficult for seeds to germinate and develop into seedlings, which increases the risk of extinction of this precious orchid.

according to dr Vu Van Khue, deputy director of the Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology DHNTB, since seedlings are sown from seeds, there are non-uniformities in morphology, flower color, growth vigor and tolerance. Therefore, in the coming period, the institute’s research team will continue to select the best individuals from the 7-year-old tree population held by the institute, using growth-spike culture technology to produce uniform seedlings while preserving the rare characteristics of the original ones Variety to contribute to the conservation and development of the rare genetic resources of the An Lao Orchid.

“A source of wild-harvested orchids currently costs at least VND 2 million, while a pot of Dai Chau orchids grown by the cultural institute costs only VND 300,000. This is a fairly mild price for those who like to play with orchids, especially those “addicted” to An Lao orchids living and doing business in the southern provinces. They play dai chau orchids as if to put them in the house with a touch of the floral scent typical of their homeland,” said Master Le Duc Dung.