Plant Cell Culture & Micropropagation - ISSN 1808-9909

PPMTM, Kasumin® and calcium hypochlorite in the disinfestation and in vitro introduction of Nepenthes graciliflora and Dionaea muscipula

Ana Clara Saraiva de Souza — 2026-11-03

Among the various genera of carnivorous plants, Nepenthes and Dionaea have gained prominence due to their greater
diversity and their allelopathic, biological, medicinal, and pharmaceutical potential. Vegetative propagation of these
genera offers advantages such as reduced production time, reproduction of important cultivars, and high multiplication
potential. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate disinfestation methods and in vitro introduction of these two genera to
enhance vegetative propagation. Nodal segments of Nepenthes graciliflora were used, testing three concentrations of
calcium hypochlorite (0.75, 1.0, and 2.0%) for disinfestation and the presence and absence of PPMTM (Plant Preservative
Mixture) in the nutritive medium. For Dionaea muscipula, rhizome sections were used, and we tested disinfection of donor
plants with Kasumin® and the presence or absence of PPMTM in the culture medium. For disinfestation of N. graciliflora,
PPMTM reduced the presence of microorganisms for up to 32 days of cultivation. Regarding calcium hypochlorite, a 2%
concentration is recommended, with new tests needed to reduce contamination. For disinfestation of D. muscipula rhizomes, PPMTM resulted in the lowest contamination level, while Kasumin® provided the lowest oxidation rate. The combination of PPMTM and Kasumin® resulted in 60% sprouting of D. muscipula explants.

Keywords: Micropropagation; Carnivorous plants; Plant Preservative Mixture.

Use of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) in the in vitro culture of Oncidium cebolleta (Jacq.) Sw.

Douglas Machado Leite — 2026-10-29

In vitro cultivation of orchids has been widely employed as an efficient alternative for the propagation of species with
difficult natural reproduction. In this context, the use of alternative plant-based supplements has proven to be a promising
strategy to optimize the growth and acclimatization of micropropagated plants. This study aimed to evaluate the growth
of Oncidium cebolleta protocorms in an alternative culture medium with different concentrations of Zingiber officinale
Roscoe, in order to establish the best concentration for the propagation of the species. The experiment was conducted in
a completely randomized design, with five treatments, five replications, and three protocorms per replication, using an
alternative culture medium containing sucrose, agar, activated charcoal, B&G® fertilizer, and coconut water, supplemented
with ginger extract at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.5, and 2 g L–¹. After 130 days of cultivation, morphological and biometric
variables were evaluated. The concentration of 1.5 g L–¹ showed the best results for the length of the largest leaf, number
and length of roots, and total plant length. The results demonstrate that Z. officinale extract positively influences the in
vitro growth of O. cebolleta and can be considered a promising natural supplement for optimizing micropropagation and
acclimatization protocols of tropical orchids.

Keywords: Orchids; Micropropagation; Plant extracts; Alternative supplementation; Plant biotechnology.