Acclimatization of The Rare Orchid Dendrobium sutiknoi: An Ex-Situ Conservation Effort for Rare Papuan Orchids

Indonesia possesses one of the world's richest orchid diversities, including numerous endemic species that are increasingly threatened by habitat degradation, illegal collection, and environmental disturbances. Dendrobium sutiknoi, a rare orchid species native to Papua, requires effective conservation strategies to prevent further population decline. In vitro propagation through tissue culture offers an efficient method for producing large numbers of plantlets; however, the acclimatization stage remains a critical factor determining the successful transition of plantlets from in vitro to ex vitro conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of environmentally friendly organic acclimatization media on the growth and survival of Dendrobium sutiknoi plantlets as part of an ex situ conservation effort. A single-factor Randomized Block Design was employed using seven acclimatization media treatments consisting of black moss, tree fern fiber, charcoal, coconut coir, black moss + tree fern fiber, black moss + charcoal, and black moss + coconut coir, with five replications. Parameters observed included acclimatization success percentage, number of leaves, and plant height during 35 days after transplanting. The results demonstrated that acclimatization media significantly affected plantlet growth and survival. Coconut coir produced the highest acclimatization success rate (55%), while the combination of black moss and tree fern fiber resulted in a 40% survival rate. Black moss generated the highest average number of leaves (5.47 ± 0.49 leaves), whereas coconut coir produced the greatest plant height among single media treatments (5.99 ± 0.53 cm). Among combined media, black moss + charcoal yielded the highest plant height (5.92 ± 0.84 cm). The findings indicate that organic waste-based substrates can serve as effective and sustainable acclimatization media for D. sutiknoi, thereby supporting ex-situ conservation programs and contributing to biodiversity preservation in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 15.

Dendrobium sutiknoi, acclimatization, ex-situ conservation, organic media, Papua

1. Ambarwati, S.E. 2016.Optimasi Media untuk Perkecambahan Biji dan Pertumbuhan Seedling In Vitro serta Pengaruh Media dan Benziladenin terhadap Keberhasilan Aklimatisasi Planlet Phalaenopsis Hibrida. Tesis. Program Pascasarjana Magister Agronomi Universitas Lampung. Bandar Lampung. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Arianbach, A. F., Saputra, H. M., and Zasari, M. 2023. Respons Pertumbuhan Planlets Anggrek Phalaenopsis terhadap Pemberian BA dan NAA Selama Aklimatisasi. JURNAL AGROTROPIKA, 22(2), 128. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Dressler, R.L., and Dodson, C.H. 2000. Classification and phylogeny in the Orchidaceae.Missouri Botanical Garden Historical Notes, 47(1): 25–68. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. da Silva, J. A. T., Hossain, M. M., Sharma, M., Dobránszki, J., Cardoso and Songjun, Z. 2017. Acclimatization of in Vitro-derived Dendrobium. Horticultural Plant Journal. 3(3): 110-124 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Din, A. F. M. Z. E., Ibrahim, M. F. M., Farag, R., El-Gawad, H. G. A., El-Banhawy, A., Alaraidh, I. A., Rashad, Y. M., Lashin, I., El-Yazied, A. A., Elkelish, A., and Elbar, O. H. A. 2020. Influence of Polyethylene Glycol on Leaf Anatomy, Stomatal Behavior, Water Loss, and Some Physiological Traits of Date Palm Plantlets Grown In Vitro and Ex Vitro. Plants, 9(11), 1440. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Erfa, L., Maulida, D., Sesanti, R. N., and Yuriansyah, Y. 2020. Keberhasilan aklimatisasi dan pembesaran bibit kompot anggrek bulan (Phalaenopsis) pada beberapa kombinasi media tanam. Jurnal Penelitian Pertanian Terapan, 19(2), 122 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Grzelak, M., Pacholczak, A., and Nowakowska, K. 2024. Challenges and insights in the acclimatization step of micropropagated woody plants. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 159, 72. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Handini, E. and Puspitaningtyas, D.M., 2020. Perkecambahan dan prediksi masa hidup tiga jenis Dendrobium menggunakan empat macam formulasi media. Buletin Kebun Raya, 23(3). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Kinasih, A., Rafli, M., Nugrahening, E.R., Oktaweni, F., Budiastuti, N.S. and Hidayah, N., 2025. Perspective of Biotic and Abiotic Factors for Tropical Orchid Acclimatization and Ex-situ Conservation. Jurnal Biologi Tropis, 25(3), pp.4290-4302. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Kurniawan, F.Y. and Mustika, N.D., 2021. Distribusi dan Kemelimpahan Spesies Anggrek Epifit di Hutan Wanagama, Gunung Kidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. JRST (Jurnal Riset Sains dan Teknologi), pp.83-89. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Liu, B., Tang, L., Gao, B., Jeong, B. R., Deng, S., and Wei, H. 2021. Effects on growth and metabolism of difference between day and night temperatures (dif) and supplementation with rare earth elements (ree) in micropropagated Dendrobium aphyllum (roxb.) c. E. Fischer. Horticulturae, 7 (11). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Maulia, E., Rahmatika, W. and Maulana, M., 2025. Dampak Media Subkultur dan Variasi Subkultur untuk Pertumbuhan Tunas pada Kultur Jaringan Pisang (Musa spp.) Serta Penerapan Penanaman Bibit Dengan Pemberian Agen Hayati. Journal Agro-Livestock, 3(01), pp.145-153. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Mullin, A., Costa, B. N. S., Downing, J., and Khoddamzadeh, A. A. 2022. Conservation horticulture: in vitro micropropagation and acclimatization of selected florida native orchids. HortScience, 57(9), 1159-1166. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Orchidroots.com. Accessed February 21, 2022. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Prabawardani, S., Rasyid, M., Mawikere, N.L., Sarijan, A., Paisey, E.K., Nurdziky, I., Noya, A.I., Yanti, Y.D., Palupi, D. and Febrina, A., 2025. PERTUMBUHAN DAN PERKEMBANGAN TANAMAN. CV GET PRESS INDONESIA. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Putri, E. M., and Ermawati, N. 2023. Pengaruh teknik hardening dan konsentrasi paclobutrazol terhadap pertumbuhan planlet krisan (Chrysanthemum sp.) pada tahap aklimatisasi. In agropross: national conference proceedings of agriculture (pp. 608-615). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Saeedi SA, Vahdati K, Sarikhani S, Daylami SD, Davarzani M, Gruda NS and Aliniaeifard S. 2023. Growth, photosynthetic function, and stomatal characteristics of Persian walnut explants in vitro under different light spectra. Front. Plant Sci. 14:1292045. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Sudartini, T. and Diantini, D., 2020. Pengaruh sungkup dan jenis media tanam terhadap pertumbuhan bibit anggrek Dendrobium saat aklimatisasi. Media Pertanian, 5(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Targu, M., and Kumaria, S. 2025. In vitro regeneration and acclimatization strategies for germplasm conservation of Bulbophyllum griffithii, a rare and threatened medicinal orchid. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 163, 97. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Utami, N.R., Margareta, R., Enni, S., Dante, A., and Setyo Yuwono. 2022. Aklimatisasi anggrek species hasil kultur jaringan melalui pemberdayaan masyarakat Dusun Gempol. Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 19(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Wati, R. K., Astuti, I. P., and Cahyaningsih, R. 2023. Inventorying medicinal orchids in Indonesia from a global database. In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 373, p. 05009). EDP Sciences. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Yasmin, Z. F., Aisyah, S. I., and Sukma, D. 2018. Pembibitan (Kultur Jaringan hingga Pembesaran) Anggrek Phalaenopsis di Hasanudin Orchids, Jawa Timur. Buletin Agrohorti,6(3), 430-439 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar