Propagation of D. ramellosa

[Medina]

Hi. I am going to describe how I have propagated this specie in vitro

Five seeds were desinfected with bleach solution (30 mL clorox plus 70 mL water) for 15 min. and washed in sterile water for 20 min. The seeds were transferred into flask with 1/3 MS medium. ¡After ten days one seed germinated!

In 4 months the seedling has a shoot tip around 2 cm high and a root tip of red color. I noticed that this root had two shoot tips of green color, for that I think that the red structure has potential to propagate this specie.



to propagate I take the plant out and cut off 3 new shoot tips that were growing from the red structure. Each shoot was placed into flasks with 1/3 MS medium. In this form I have now 38 plants growing in vitro.

Plants to take out


Plant in a petri dish


Shoot tips separated


Shoot tips transfered into a flask




and this is when the shoot tips grow


¡¡Then the procedure could be repeated!!

[thwyman]

Excellent work. The hard part comes in deflasking them. Some of the tuberous species are just godawful at hardening up...

[Medina]

Thanks thwyman, are some tuberous species difficult at hardening?. I am a beginner in carnivorous plants culture and I know that deflasking in critical to plants survive. I had deflask D. muscipula, Drossera broomensis, Byblis and orchids with success.

[thwyman]

In my experience some of the tuberous are very difficult to deflask and others are easy as easy can be.

I have defleaked peltata, auriculata, menziesii, gigantea, zigzagia, stolonifera, zonaria and erythrorhyza. The first 5 are very easy to harden off and settle in. D. stolonifera has never been consistent with me sometimes it is very easy and sometimes it is a downright beast to harden. And I have never successfully hardened zonaria or erythrorhyza.

[Medina]

Thwyman, as can i see ¡¡you are an expert in culture in vitro!!
for other side, does some of tuberous species produce tubers in vitro? in your opinion why are the tuberous species difficult to deflask? do you think that the tuber plays an important role in deflask?.

[thwyman]

Medina,

I am not an expert I did not actually do any of the TC work a buddy of mine did. I was just the one doing the deflasking.

does some of tuberous species produce tubers in vitro?

Yes, all the species I have dealt with have produced tubers while in vitro. The tubers are about the equivalent of the tubers a seed grown plant would make its first year, 3mm across or so. Largest on I came across was 6mm and that was only a single time.

I am not fully sure why some of the tuberous are difficult to deflask. For zonaria I am fairly certain it has something to do with the way it grows in flask. I had pics somewhere but it basically just keeps piling leaves up on itself and forms a "tower". Something about this is not favorable to the plant once out of flask and it expires. I have no clue why I sometimes "miss" with stolonifera and have never succeeded with erythrorhyza.

do you think that the tuber plays an important role in deflask?

Again, I can not give a straight answer. I am certain that the presence of the tubers does no harm but I do not think it necessary because I have easily hardened off tuberless plants. And in some cases I will take the tubers, break them free and plant them up alone and let them grow out.

One thing I can say, I advocate that deflasking be done during the season of growth for the plants so that they fall into a normal pattern of growth.

[Medina]

Thanks a lot thwyman for your information

[thwyman]

My pleasure