Three simplified, low-cost culture media, prepared with foliar fertilizers, were compared with the commonly used ½ MS-ban (Murashige Skoog medium ½ salt concentration, with banana fruit) for the in vitro multiplication of the orchid hybrid Cattleya amethystoglossa x nobilior. The simplified culture media tested were Hy-ban, which is made with 1.33 g L-1 of Hyponex fertilizer (NPK 6.5-6-19); KP-ban, which is made with 0.92 g L-1 of Kristalon™ (NPK 6-12-36) and 0.26 g L-1 of Peters (NPK 30-10-10); and Kcal-ban, which is made with 0.92 g L-1 of Kristalon™ (NPK 6-12-36) and 0.51 g L-1 of Calcinit (NPK 15.5-0-0+Ca 19.0%). Each medium was supplemented with 20 g L-1 of sucrose, 1 g L-1 of activated charcoal, 7 g L-1 of agar-agar and 40 g L-1 of banana fruit, pH 5.6. Plantlets were evaluated after 80 days for the following parameters: number of shoots, shoot length, number of roots, longest root length and fresh weight. While all four media can be used for the studied hybrid, the best medium was Kcal-ban.
orchids; simplified culture medium; explant production
