Inflorescence lignification of natural species and horticultural hybrids of Phalaenopsis orchids

Phalaenopsis is an important ornamental pot plant for the global horticultural market. The inflorescences of hybrids require support from a stick during cultivation because weight multiple large flowers. Developing hybrid with sufficiently lignified inflorescence stem that does not additional could be way to reduce costs production. This study aimed (i) determine orientation and degree lignification in different species investigate whether these patterns follow any (ii) topological or (iii) phylogenetic pattern interest further explore genetic precision breeding. Inflorescences comparable developmental stages six 17 flowering orchids were sampled. varied erect, sub-erect, arching, pendant. was measured ImageJ using stained microscopic tissue sections statistically analyzed. A molecular phylogeny reconstructed based on plastid nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences analyze patterns. Our results show significant difference between hybrids, peduncle rachis, among positions We found positive correlation proportion area per total proportional thickness fiber walls peduncle. conclude heritable, as we observed our sample size higher variables closely related taxa compared more distantly ones. However, larger sampling needed validate results.