International Journal of Horticulture, 2018, Vol.8, No.4, 29-35
29
Research Report
Open Access
DUS Test Guidelines in
Mokara
Orchids
L.C. De
1
, A.N. Rao
2
, D.R. Singh
1
, S.R. Dhiman
3
, R. Prakash
4
, Rakesh Singh
1
1 NRC for Orchids, Sikkim, India
2 Centre for Orchid Gene Conservation of Eastern Himalayan Region, Senapati District, Manipur State, India
3 Y.S. Parmer University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, India
4 PPV & FRA, NASC Complex, New Delhi, India
Corresponding email:
International Journal of Horticulture, 2018, Vol.8, No.4 doi:
10.5376/ijh.2018.08.0004
Received: 20 Jan., 2018
Accepted: 26 Jan., 2018
Published: 24 Feb., 2018
Copyright © 2018
De et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
De L.C., Rao A.N., Singh D.R., Dhiman S.R., Prakash R., and Singh R., DUS test guidelines in
Mokara
orchids, International Journal of Horticulture, 8(4):
29-35 (doi:
10.5376/ijh.2018.08.0004
)
Abstract
According to UPOV Convention 1961, DUS (Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability) testing is essential to provide and
promote a unique way to protect plant varieties with the objective of developing new plant genotypes and for the usefulness of
consumers. This provides rights for breeders and farmers to utilize or evolve new strains of plants, to exploit alien genotypes having
broad gene pool, to encourage intensive breeding methods and to inhibit exploitations of unauthorized genotypes. In the present study,
8 genotypes of
Mokara
were evaluated for preparation of DUS test guidelines with a number of morphological characters. Among 61
common descriptors developed, plant width, number of flowers/inflorescence, flower length, flower width, dominant colour of dorsal
sepal, dominant colour of lateral sepal, petal dominant colour, dominant colour of lip apical lobe and throat colour of lip were
selected for grouping of genotypes.
Keywords
Hybrids; Characteristics; Descriptors
Background
The orchids are highly diverse, habitat specific and actively evolving plants and popular for their beautiful and
long-lasting flowers. Orchids belong to family Orchidaceae, one of the largest family comprises of epiphytic,
terrestrial and saprophytic plants. Taxonomically, they belong to the most highly evolved family among
monocotyledons having 25,000-30,000 species and cover about 10% of the total flowering plant species. About
300,000 natural and man-made hybrids are found in record and these include several multi generics involving
three, four, five, six and even seven genera. In India, the orchids are represented by over 1,300 species distributed
mainly in North-Western Himalayas, North-Eastern and Western Ghats and Khasi hills. Orchids flowers are
known for their strange shape, longevity, beautiful looks and highly attractive colours. The orchids are cultivated
as a cash crop in several countries including India (Vij and Pathak, 2012).
Genera like
Paphiopedilum
,
Vanda
,
Cattleya
,
Cymbidium
,
Oncidium
,
Phalaenopsis etc.
having highly commercial
importance are sold as potted plants in the world trade. Besides,
Dendrobium
,
Cymbidium
,
Orchis
,
Aerides
,
Cypripedium
,
Vanilla
etc have unique medicinal importance. Orchids are rich source of alkaloids, flavonoids,
glycosides, carbohydrates and other phytochemical contents. Medicinally orchids are rich. They are used for
cardiac problem, rheumatic arthritis, respiratory problems etc. Dendrobine alkaloid of
Dendrobium sp.
is useful in
the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, night sweats, fever and anorexia.
Vanda roxburghii
leaf paste is used as
application in high fevers. Its leaf juice is used in the treatment of otitis; rheumatic and similar kind of pain;
diseases of nervous system and syphilis. Its root is used as antidote against scorpion sting and remedy for
bronchitis (Tandon and Kumaria, 2010). Orchids are source of incalculable aesthetic pleasure therefore
conservation of orchids in North-eastern India can be closely related to the socio-economic culture of the people
of this region. Because of higher socio-economic and cultural importance, the Central Government of India has
notified three genera
Cymbidium Sw.
,
Dendrobium Sw.
and
Vanda Jones ex R. Br.
for registration on March 27,
2010 under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001. Guidelines of two orchid genera
