Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) extract as media supplement in orchid tissue culture

Abstract

The use of natural substances as media supplements to promote the growth and development of orchid has received a lot of interest. Aloe vera extract which is well-known for its nutritional characteristics, has the potential to influence the in vitro growth of orchid plants. Hence, the present study was conducted in the Floriculture Research and Development Unit at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya to evaluate the potential of usage Aloe vera extract as nutrient additive for Orchid tissue culture. The experiment was arranged in Complete Randomized Design having four treatments with 15 replicates for each experiment. The number of leaves, shoots and roots per plantlet and explant height were measured. The results showed that various treatments had a substantial impact on the growth characteristics of Orchid explants. During the third week of incubation, 900ml of KNC+100ml of Aloe vera extract and 700ml of KNC+300ml of Aloe vera extract, consistently promoted higher numbers of leaves and shoots and plantlet height compared to the control (KNC media), highlighting the potential benefits of Aloe vera extract supplementation, particularly in the early growth stages. These benefits continue throughout the fifth week of incubation, with all treatments except the control. Notably, 800ml of KNC+200ml of Aloe vera extract produced the most shoots per explant. As a result, these findings emphasize the potential benefits of including Aloe vera extract in orchid tissue culture media, particularly during the early phases of growth.