THE MASSIVE PROPAGATION OF ORCHIDS (Orchidaceae): AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF WILD SPECIES

Abstract

this work the use of in vitro cultivation techniques is reviewed as a fundamental component of the propagation and conservation programs of native orchids. Through micropropagation, the massive production of plants has been possible, free of pathogens, at low cost, in reduced space, less time, and under controlled conditions. The banks of in vitro germplasm are sites for the conservation of phytogenetic resources under controlled laboratory conditions and involve diverse cultivation and preservation techniques; in addition, the advantages of this technique as a tool for the study of environmental factors that influence the development and flowering of orchids are analyzed.