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Developmental processes of achlorophyllous orchid, Epipogium roseum: from seed germination to flowering under symbiotic cultivation with mycorrhizal fungus

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Abstract

We have achieved the symbiotic cultivation of an apparently achlorophyllous orchid, Epipogium roseum Lindl., with a mycorrhizal fungus isolated from an underground organ of this orchid. Although the seed germination rate was extremely low, subsequent growth from protocorm to flowering was induced in a medium containing volcanic soils and sawdust. Stolons elongated from each protocorm, and rhizomes were formed at certain intervals on the stolons. Some of the rhizomes developed into a coralloid form, and tubers were formed from the coralloid rhizomes. The coralloid rhizomes degenerated concurrently with maturation of the tubers. Six months after seed sowing, around 80 tubers were produced from a single protocorm. An inflorescence appeared from each of the large tubers, and the process to flowering was observed in one of these. Consequently, the developmental processes from seed to flowering in E. roseum was clearly revealed in this study.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Toshimitsu Fukiharu, Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, for his kind gift of C. micaceus isolate1380.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Advanced Bio-resources Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Takahiro Yagame

  2. Orchid Museum, Takamori, 512-73 Izuhara, Shimoina, Nagano, 399-3107, Japan

    Takahiro Yagame

  3. Biological Environment Institute, Research and Development Department, The General Environmental Technos Co. Ltd., 8-4 Ujimatafuri, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0021, Japan

    Masahide Yamato & Koji Iwase

  4. Laboratory of Plant Cell Technology, Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8510, Japan

    Masahiro Mii

  5. Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Akira Suzuki

  6. Fungus/Mushroom Resource and Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-minami, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan

    Koji Iwase

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  1. Takahiro Yagame
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  2. Masahide Yamato
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Correspondence to Takahiro Yagame.

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Yagame, T., Yamato, M., Mii, M. et al. Developmental processes of achlorophyllous orchid, Epipogium roseum: from seed germination to flowering under symbiotic cultivation with mycorrhizal fungus . J Plant Res 120, 229–236 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-006-0044-1

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