Introduction: Biology of orchids and of orchid mycorrhizal interactions

With the nursery and garden center industry expanding, it is important to keep the consumer returning year after year for the newest, most exciting and most unusual species. Perennial nursery crops are one sector of the nursery market that has grown rapidly due to the addition of new species. Though orchids are not new to the horticultural trade, these fascinating plants have long been in the domain of the specialist. With interest in native plants growing, the propagation and sale of our native orchids will bring these plants to an expanding market. The potential for orchids is large as the native species offer the exotic blooms of the tropical species with superior hardiness. Even the smaller flowered species are comparable to the small-flowered spring bulbs beloved by many. Native orchids will add much-demanded new crops to the horticultural trade and substantially boost returns for propagators, growers and sellers. The objective of this research is to develop new techniques that will significantly improve the in vitro germination of native orchid species. This will be accomplished by the use of molecular biological methods to identify genes expressed during mycorrhizal infection of germinating orchid seeds. The characterization of these genes through computer biology or through in vitro studies will increase understanding of one example of orchidmycorrhizal symbiosis.