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Today is :
Archives (2001)
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Orchids and mycorrhiza: a lesson
from the wild
by Junelyn S. de la Rosa
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October-December
2001
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In the wild, orchids rely on a symbiotic fungus
to get water and nutrients from the soil. The fungus and the
specialized roots on which the orchids grow are together known
as mycorrhiza, or "fungal roots". The symbiosis
between mycorrhiza and orchids is one good example of a natural
give-and-take relationship. Mycorrhizae soak up water and
nutrients over a large area and provide them to the plant.
In return, the orchid provides food in the form of carbohydrates
to its fungal partner.
In some cases, some orchids cannot survive without a fungal
partner throughout its entire life. Moreover, mycorrhizas
produce healthier plants by protecting them from disease and
other pathogens.
 In
developed countries, the commercial use of mycorrhizas for
other crops has already taken off. Scientists believe that
it will become more popular as demand for organic food increases
in a year or so. Mycorrhizas are considered a better and more
practical option than applying expensive fertilizers, pesticides
and fungicides. To explore the potential of Mycorrhiza, five
scientists from the National Institute of Molecular Biology
and Biotechnology (BIOTECH)- Mesdames Marilyn Brown, Estrella
Lales, Elsa Luis, Adora de Castro and Mr. Arnel Perez, tested
six fungal isolates on a common orchid-Dendrobium sp.
The scientists found that Dendrobiums grow better
when they are inoculated with the orchid mycorrhizal fungi
(OMF). These fungal isolates were cultured in the laboratory
and chosen from among 75 fungal isolates that were collected
from Luzon and Negros. The isolates were either placed just
below the roots of the Dendrobium or mixed in the potting
medium made of charcoal and chopped fern chips.
After three months, the inoculated Dendrobiums
were bigger and looked more robust than the uninoculated orchids.
After one year, the inoculated orchids were 3-5 times bigger,
flowered earlier and produced more spikes than its counterparts.
According to the experts, some orchid seedlings do not grow
well without mycorrhizal inoculation. Thus, orchid growers
who wish to propagate certain species for this lucrative industry
must consider this new option. The researchers said that there
is much promise in making OMF commercially available to ornamental
growers.
While some orchid seedlings can grow without
mycorrhizas when supplied with the necessary nutrients in
culture, these plants tend to be more susceptible to fungal
disease when mature, and often die. The key, therefore, to
producing healthy, mature plants or orchids is to inoculate
seedlings with mycorrhizas, following the symbiotic relationship
in the wild. 
(Source: Growth Response of Dendrobium sp.
to Orchid Mycrorrhizae Inoculation by Marilyn Brown, Estrella
Lales, Arnel Perez, Elsa Luis and Adora de Castro of the National
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH)
UP Los Baños, College Laguna; Won the AFMA R&D
Paper Award 2001, Unpublished Category) More Articles:
Vol. 3 No. 4 October-December 2001
»»
Outstanding technologies identified in nat'l R&D week
»» Thailand,
Philippines convene for agri cooperation
»»
Prospects for the ornamental industry in the new millennium
»» UPLB
scientists develop new hybrids of Philippine ornamentals
»» New management
techniques for exportable foliage plants
»» In
focus: a date with the "king of cut flowers"
»» Brighten
your homes with aglaonema
»» King
in red and green
»» Cashing
in with the 'lucky bamboo'
»» Turfgrasses:
the preferred ground cover
»» Catching
the invisible enemy with ELISA
»» Grow
dracaena godseffiana the easy way
»» Bromeliads:
the exotic plant
»» Wag that
fish-tail fern
»» Mass
propagating the 'doņas' through kulob system
»» Beauveria
mold bioinsecticide: safer control against orchid pests
»» Orchids
and mycorrhiza: a lesson from the wild
»» Controlling
white rust in chrysanthemums
»» Ways to
enhance palm seed germination
»» Prolonging
the vase life of cut flowers with ethylene adsorbent and Florafresh
»»
Mass producing the fragrant kamuning
»» The
national RDE program for ornamental crops
»» GMA
presents 2001 Gawad Saka awards
[More
2001 Articles]
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