In vitro seed propagation constraints of Mexican lady’s slipper orchid, Pichouaxtle, Cypripedium irapeanum.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/895ark56Palabras clave:
Ceratobasidiaceae, Epulorhiza, germinación simbiótica, incompatibilidad micorrícica, micorriza orquideoide, TulasnellaceaeResumen
Cypripedium irapeanum, conocida en México como “Pichohuaxtle” en náhuatl, es la orquídea zapatilla de dama más emblemática del país y una de las especies cipripedioideas más estudiadas en Mesoamérica. A pesar de su estatus de protección en México, la pérdida de hábitat asociada al cambio de uso del suelo ha reducido severamente sus poblaciones. Las estrategias de conservación ex situ son urgentemente necesarias para salvaguardar su diversidad genética; sin embargo, la germinación de semillas en el género sigue siendo un reto debido a su dormancia innata y a sus requerimientos nutricionales específicos. Recolectamos semillas en dos ecosistemas mexicanos donde se distribuye la especie —bosques de Quercus y selva tropical seca— y aislamos hongos micorrízicos de plantas adultas para evaluar cultivos simbióticos y asimbióticos. Detectamos limitaciones en la producción de semillas debido a la maduración floral, la polinización ineficaz o el parasitismo. Asimismo, la germinación se logró únicamente tras un tratamiento de frío, y el medio más eficaz para obtener plántulas in vitro fue el medio Norstog. Dos hongos micorrízicos aislados de plantas adultas, pertenecientes a la familia Tulasnellaceae, formaron un clado con aislados previamente reportados en orquídeas zapatilla americanas. Uno de ellos promovió la germinación, aunque posteriormente produjo incompatibilidad fúngica en condiciones in vitro. Nuestro estudio contribuye a esclarecer procesos previamente no descritos en la biología de esta especie apreciada y vulnerable, y proporciona bases para futuros esfuerzos de propagación a partir de semillas orientados a obtener cultivos exitosos.
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Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Números de la subvención PAPIME PE115024;DGAPA-PAPIIT IT-201422 -
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