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VOL. 8, ISSUE 3 (2026)
In vitro seed germination and micropropagation of Acampe rigida (Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) P.F.Hunt. - An indigenous medicinal orchid of Bangladesh
Authors
Md. Mustakim Zulfikar Alam, Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Tapash Kumar Bhowmik
Abstract
Acampe rigida
(Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) P.F.Hunt. is an indigenous, epiphytic medicinal orchid of
Bangladesh, highly valued for its therapeutic applications in treating joint
pain, muscle stiffness and traumatic fractures. Due to extreme habitat
destruction and the biological constraints of natural seed germination stemming
from the absence of endosperm, this species faces severe conservation threats.
The present study was undertaken to establish a highly efficient, reproducible in
vitro propagation protocol exclusively focusing on asymbiotic seed
germination and micropropagation via direct organogenesis and
protocorm-like bodies (PLBs). Four basal media Murashige and Skoog (MS),
Phytamax (PM), Modified Vacin and Went (MVW) and Knudson C (KC) were evaluated
at varying strengths with and without plant growth regulators (PGRs). The
maximum seed germination response (73.34%), the swiftest protocorm development
(13.03 weeks) and the earliest differentiation of the 1st leaf primordia (17.07
± 0.32 weeks) were achieved on full strength PM medium supplemented with 0.5
mg/l Benzyl Aminopurine (BAP) and 0.5 mg/l α-Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA). For
rapid elongation of seed derived plantlets, MS medium fortified with 1.5 mg/l
BAP and 0.9 mg/l NAA proved optimal, yielding an average length increase of
2.74 cm. High-frequency micropropagation was established using nodal and leaf
explants from in vitro raised seedlings. Nodal segments exhibited the
highest direct multiple shoot bud (MSB) induction (93.33% response; 6.2
MSBs/segment) on MS medium with 2.0 mg/l BAP and 1.0 mg/l NAA. Conversely, leaf
segments underwent indirect embryogenesis, producing the maximum percentage of
PLBs (77.33%) on the same medium matrix. Robust rhizogenesis was successfully
induced on MS medium containing 0.5 mg/l Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) and 0.5
mg/l NAA, generating the highest mean root length (4.03 cm) and root count (4.67
roots/seedling). Plantlets were successfully acclimatized ex vitro with
a 75% survival rate. This standardized protocol provides a commercially viable
pathway for the mass scale propagation and ex situ conservation of this
endangered medicinal orchid.
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Pages:42-50
How to cite this article:
Md. Mustakim Zulfikar Alam, Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Tapash Kumar Bhowmik "<i>In vitro</i> seed germination and micropropagation of <i>Acampe rigida</i> (Buch.-Ham. ex Sm.) P.F.Hunt. - An indigenous medicinal orchid of Bangladesh". International Journal of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Vol 8, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 42-50
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