MICROSCOPICAL ANALYSIS OF IN VITRO MOKARA BROGA GIANT ORCHID

Abstract

Mokara orchids comes with variety of hybrids that have unique and highly variable types of characteristics such as petal colour, shape, size and other floral characteristics that make it very important economically and aesthetically. This study was conducted to evaluate on its histological and scanning electron microscopy analyses that make its PLBs to be a desirable biotechnological explant in propagation of this orchid as well as its importance in many biotechnological researches. Histological observation in Mokara Broga giant indicated the presence of meristematic tissues that are vital for biotechnological research such as genetic transformation, cryopreservation, micropropagation and others. It also indicated the presence of shoot primordia. Scanningelectron microscopy analysis also indicated the developmental characteristics of PLBs in detail. Both analyses showed that the maturation of PLBs and gradual formation of shoot leaf primordial occurs through somatic embryogenesis and PLBs are vital explant in many plant tissue culture researches such as genetic transformation, cryopreservation, micropropagation and others.