A New Sustainable Production Method for the Sahlep Orchid Serapias Orientalis (Greuter) H. Baumann & Kunkele

Abstract

Effective production of tuberous orchids (sahlep orchids) from Orchideceae family has not yet been achieved. For that reason, all the species of this family are placed under protection worldwide with national and international treaties. In the present study, it was aimed to describe a sustainable production method for Serapias orientalis and plants were forced to produce two tubers in the same growing season. For this purpose, 100 plants were cultivated and their fresh tubers were harvested at the beginning of flowering (first harvest). The plants whose fresh tubers were removed were re-planted, thus they completed their growing season. It was observed that the re-planted plants produced new tubers in one month period. Some of them produced more than one tubers and a total of 110 new tubers were produced (second harvest). Finally, 100+110=210 tubers were obtained from 100 plants in one growing season. Productivity of all the tubers was tested in the next growing season and positive results were observed. In conclusion, the present results indicate that Serapias orientalis has the ability of producing tubers twice in the same growing season and it is possible to cultivate this plant via the tubers sustainably. The method, described here for the first time, was termed as "dismantle and re-plant".