Recently, after more than 10 years of unremitting efforts, zhang Shibao's research team at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has finally overcome a series of technical problems such as seed germination, flowering period regulation and cultivation technology of the world's famous flower and national second-level protected plant Single Garlic Orchid, and realized large-scale artificial breeding and cultivation.
Orchid is a perennial herb named after its false bulbous stem shaped like garlic head and its many solitary flowers. There are about 20 species of plants in the genus Garlic orchid in the world, of which there are nearly 20 species in Yunnan, which is the most concentrated area of this genus in the world.
Although there are many species of wild garlic orchids in the mainland, driven by interests, they have suffered a large number of artificial digging and medicine, resulting in the gradual depletion of wild resources.
In 2021, the List of Wild Plants under National Key Protection was promulgated, and all genera (all species) of the orchid were listed as national second-level protected plants. According to the IUCN Red List of Species, all species of the genus Garlic Orchid are under threat, of which four species, namely White-flowered Orchid, Southern Tibetan Orchid, Halo-flowered Orchid and Crowned Orchid, have reached critical danger levels. "The protection and rational use of germplasm resources of garlic orchid is of great practical significance." Zhang Wei, an assistant researcher on the team, said.
Potted garlic orchid products of different flower color varieties
Zhang Shibao's team has long been committed to the research of orchids such as monocosmodium orchids, and through cross breeding, 17 new varieties of monocosmic orchid have been successfully selected, of which the new varieties 'Haiyan' and 'Rainbow', which were successfully registered for the first time in the Royal Horticultural Society in 2018, are known as "the first new variety registration from the hometown of Monocosmodium". At present, the team has successfully registered 17 new varieties such as 'Maggie Ami', 'Flaunting Mountain' and 'Mountain Ghost' in the Royal Horticultural Society.
'Maggie Ami'
'Flaunting Mountain'
'Mountain Ghost'
It prefers to grow in humus-rich understory soils, some of which can also attach to tree trunks or even on moss-covered rocky surfaces. They prefer semi-shaded and ventilated environments and cannot tolerate intense and continuous light.
Because of its unique and elegant flower shape, rich color system, and bright color, it is a world-renowned ornamental orchid. Moreover, it has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, dissolving phlegm and dispersing knots, and has broad prospects for medicinal development.
Unfortunately, the seeds of the genus Monophyllum are finely dusty and lack the endosperm that is supplied as nutrients when the seeds germinate, so the germination rate is extremely low under natural conditions, and only symbiosis with fungi can germinate normally. For a long time, it was not successfully cultivated in China.
'Chi Lian Xian'
'Gemini'
'Pleiadian Officer'
Through the research on the application basis and industrialization key technologies of the orchid plant, the team has overcome a series of problems such as flowering period regulation, seed germination, artificial breeding of seedlings and cultivation technology. Among them, through the regulation of the cultivation environment, some species have achieved winter flowering.
Zhang Wei said: "The natural flowering period of the garlic orchid is mainly concentrated in the spring and autumn seasons. The new varieties we have cultivated, such as 'Haiyan', 'Rainbow' and 'Zhaoyaoshan', can bloom from November to January of the following year, which can meet the market demand of winter festivals such as New Year's Day. ”
It is understood that at present, through the establishment of the factory seedling breeding technology and the key technical system of industrial planting of the single garlic orchid, the team has cooperated with Zhaotong Yunsheng Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. and other enterprises to establish an 800-acre single garlic orchid planting base, which not only realizes the large-scale reproduction and cultivation of the single garlic orchid, but also realizes the benign development of utilization in protection and protection in use.
Large-scale cultivation of garlic orchid
It is a small bulbous plant with strong ornamental properties and is distinctly different from other orchids, with no roots and no leaves in winter, only a dormant false bulb. This feature makes it very convenient for transportation, especially suitable for internet sales that have emerged in recent years. Therefore, whether it is as an ornamental plant or a traditional medicinal plant, the garlic orchid has a lot of room for development and utilization.
Although the mainland has the absolute resource advantage of the garlic orchid, its hybrid breeding is still in a very early stage. "In the future, we should strengthen the collection of germplasm resources of garlic orchid, establish a complete breeding system, continuously select and breed new varieties with excellent traits and independent intellectual property rights, protect and make good use of wild resources, and promote the development of the mainland flower and Chinese herbal medicine industry." Zhang Wei said.
(Written by Bai Bin and Li Yunxi)
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