Nepenthes in vitro . . .

[BigBella]

Here are a couple of updates on some vials from this morning. New growth can be seen at the leaf axils . . .

Nepenthes edwardsiana (Tambuyukon) 13 April

 

[pokie22]

That armpit hair needs some trimming

 

[lance]

Almost missed this post amongst the auction threads. Very cool BB. . . really hope this species will be able to get a better grip in cultivation.

 

[vraev]

OMG BigB! Man!! You are so lucky to be able to grow this in vitro. Even BE and wistuba had issues with it in vitro. Congratulations.

 

[BigBella]

Thanks . . .

It has taken some careful futzing around -- to ensure that I didn't kill any of those young plants on Jello. So far, so good . . .

 

[Iwest]

Woah, congrats on your success!! So many toothy pitchers just waiting to be produced

 

[BigBella]

Here are a few Nepenthes plants, now unde ex vitro conditions, in order for them to produce roots. The genus can be notoriously slow to do so, under sterile conditions; that is, without doing them, into the next county, with auxins . . .

Nepenthes sp. 15 June

 

[BigBella]

Here is a late Summer update on a few of the cultures -- three of which were seed-grown in origin; and the other, the image on the upper left, was taken from meristematic tissue, from an older compost-potted plant (that one took some doing and a liberal amount of expletive-spewing, sufficient to warrant performance of the Roman Rights) . . .

Nepenthes edwardsiana (Kinabalu, upper left; Tambuyukon, upper right; bottom left and right) 23.08.13

 

[mato]

That's impressive.

 

[pokie22]

Those vials look familiar.........

 

[BigBella]

Those vials look familiar.........

No doubt, a few of them do. All were freshly replated in new multiplication media last week or so. For whatever reason -- perhaps do to the high amount and variety of PGRs -- these cultures like to "phenolicly bleed" into the media, more so than I would care to admit . . .

 

[amphirion]

sweet David!

 

[BigBella]

Here is a particularly vigorous culture of Nepenthes edwardsiana, obtained from meristematic tissue; and a new division taken from it, early this morning, on the right . . .

Nepenthes edwardsiana (Kinabalu: Marai Parai Plateau) 28 August

 

[amphirion]

could almost pass for an expensive tillandsia.
very awesome that you were able to do this via meristematic tissue--i heard the process is difficult because of the cleaning process. will this make cloning other species without the need for seed easier?

 

[BigBella]

could almost pass for an expensive tillandsia.
very awesome that you were able to do this via meristematic tissue--i heard the process is difficult because of the cleaning process. will this make cloning other species without the need for seed easier?

Thanks . . .

It could be replicated; though the real challenge is to carefully excise the desired tissue, using sterile technique, so far as possible. The rationale behind harvesting meristematic tissue is that that tissue is "new" and replicates, in theory, more rapidly than potential viruses and / or endosymbiotic fungi or algae which seem to be the fundamental issue with the use of Nepenthes explants . . .

 

[BigBella]

After a few recent requests, here is a fresh update, of one of the happy cultures:

Nepenthes edwardsiana (Kinabalu: Marai Parai Plateau) 29 November

 

[BioZest]

This is such an amazing thread! Those plants look amazing. How long do you keep these plants in TC? Do you ever lose plants taking them out? Thanks so much for this awesome post.

 

[Newman]

you have to harden the plants to outside conditions somehow, otherwise you lose them right?

 

[BigBella]

This is such an amazing thread! Those plants look amazing. How long do you keep these plants in TC? Do you ever lose plants taking them out? Thanks so much for this awesome post.

Thanks . . .

The time spent in a in vitro varies; and the plants in the above photos have already been divided and subdivided on a couple of occasions. The original material, from germinated seed, was "flasked" in 2012; and I have other cultures which predate that . . .

you have to harden the plants to outside conditions somehow, otherwise you lose them right?

Yes, the plants go through an establishment phase, where they are kept under high humidity for several weeks and gradually exposed to "harsher" conditions. Some genera are heartier than others; and highland Nepenthes, thankfully, seem to fit that bill . . .

 

[BigBella]

Here is yet another example of seed-grown variation among plants; and, clearly, why particular clones are chosen, over others, during micropropagation. The vials below contained seed, from the same batch, which germinated within days of one another; grew within inches of one another; were exposed to identical lighting and photoperiods; were "plated" in the very same media, etc.

Those plants on the left have readily multiplied; have been subdivided, while those others seem little more developed since their germination . . .

Nepenthes villosa (Tambuyukon) 18 June