Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

The goal of this study was two fold, the first was to determine the effect of different basal medium formulationsand medium supplements (complex additives and growth hormones) on the development and growth rate of Phalaenopsis orchids, while the second goal was to find or develop an efficent method for the clonal propagation of Phalaenopsis orchids.MethodsThe first part of this study was further subdivided in to several phases; the first of these involved a comparative study of the germination of Phalaenopsis ovules on six different basal medium formulations and seven different sets of medium supplements. The second phase involved a comparative study of the development of Phalaenopsis protocorms on six different basal medium formulations and ninteen different sets of medium supplements. The third phase involved a comparative study of the growth of Phalaenopsis seedlings on six different basal medium formulations and twelve sets of medium supplements. The forth and final phase involved a comparative study of the development and growth of Phalaenopsis protocorms and seedlings on media containing varing concentrations and combinations of auxins and cytokinins. The second part of this study involved a comparative study designed-to determine the suitability of several sizes of axillary buds and plantlets for the clonal propagation of Phalaenopsis orchids and the modification of several procedures in an attempt to determine suitable explant material and procedures for the commercial clonal propagation of Phalaenopsis orchids.Results and DiscussionResults of this study indicated that of the basal medium formulations and medium supplements tested Modified Heller's salt base medium and to a lesser extent Modified Vacin and Went salt base medium supplemented with vitamin formulation 1 and Bactopeptone yielded the highest percent germination and development up to the seedling stage. At the seedling stage the growth rate of seedlings grown on media supplemented with banana homogenate nearly doubled the growth rate of the seedlings grown on all of the other medium supplementstested.Results of the second part of this study indicated that by modifying the procedures of Bouriquet, Broly, and Legrand (1982) the proliferation rate (shoots per plantlet) could be increased by a factor of two to eight. This can be translated into an increase from two to five shoots per plantlet per six weeks to an increase of eight shoots per plantlet per six weeks with a minimal mortality rate. With further modification of the procedure of Bouriquet, Broly, and Legrand (1982), other results indicated that it may be possible to increase to forty the number of shoots per plantlet produced per six week period. / Department of Biology

published_or_final_version / Botany / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Botany / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii, 1960. / Bibliography: leaves 78-82. / v, 82 l mounted illus., tables

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii, 1968. / Bibliography: leaves [128]-132. / x, 132 l illus., tables

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1973. / Bibliography: leaves 93-97. / xi, 97 l illus., tables

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Florida, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 200-225). Also available via the World Wide Web: http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0021367/stewart_s.pdf

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Tartu, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-119).