Orchids are over-exploited in their natural environment due to their ornamental importance, which is leading some species to extinction. In vitro culture is an alternative for ex-situ conservation. Our objective was to determine an efficient medium for in vitro seed germination and initial seedling growth of Cattleya forbesii and Cattleya harrisoniana. Seeds of Cattleya forbesii were incubated in Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium (T1) and MS added with 2,5 g L-1 of activated charcoal (T2). For the last, plants with 1 ± 0,2 cm of height were submitted to the following treatments: T1, T2, MS reduced to the half strenght (T3) and MS reduced to the half strenght supplemented with 1,25 g L-1 of activated charcoal (T4). Thirty days after seed inoculation of C. forbesii, it was verified 45% and 90% of germination in T1 and T2, respectively. The addition of activated charcoal also promoted an increase in the height of the C. forbesii seedlings after 180 days of in vitro cultivation. After 240 days of culture of C. harrisoniana shoot height, total fresh mass, number of roots and leaves, length of the largest root and diameter of the shoots were significantly stimulated in T2 compared to the other treatments. We suggest the use of MS medium added with 2,5 g L-1 of activated charcoal because is significantly favorable for seed germination and initial growth for both species.
activated charcoal; medium culture; micropropagation; orchids
