Cattleya loddigesii preceding seedlings (with 1.0-1.5cm) of in vitro germinated seeds were used as explants. The treatments consisted of the addition of different potassium chloride concentrations (0; 125; 250; 375 e 500mg L-1) and potassium sulphate (0; 125; 250; 375 e 500mg L-1), in the Knudson C medium, in all possible combinations, an addition of 2g L-1 activated coal, 150g L-1 and banana 'Nanica' pulp. The medium had the pH set to 5.8±0.1 and was solidified with agar 5g L-1 before the sterilization at 121°C for 20 minutes. After the inoculation, the cultures were maintained in the growth room with irradiancy around 35µmol m-2 s-1 in, 25±1°C temperature and 16-hour photoperiod for 90 days. The combination of KCl 500mg L-1 with K2SO4 500mg L-1 promotes good in vitro growth in Cattleya loddigesii seedlings, except length of roots who if comported better with KCl500 mg L-1 in absence of K2SO4.
Orchidaceae; tissue culture; potassium chloride; potassium sulphate
