An efficient genetically stable regeneration protocol with in-creased phytochemical production has been established for
Dendrobium nobile, a highly prized orchid for its economic and
medicinal importance. Protocorm like bodies (PLBs) were induced
from the pseudostem segments using thidiazuron (TDZ; 1.5 mg/l),
by-passing the conventional auxin–cytokinin complement ap-proach for plant regeneration. Although, PLB induction was
observed at higher concentrations of TDZ, plantlet regeneration
from those PLBs was affected adversely. The best rooting (5.41
roots/shoot) was achieved in MS medium with 1.5 mg/l TDZ and
0.25% activated charcoal. Plantlets were successfully transferred to
a greenhouse with a survival rate of 84.3%, exhibiting normal
development. Genetic stability of the regenerated plants was
investigated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)
and start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism markers which
detected 97% of geneticfidelity among the regenerants. ThePIC
values of RAPD and SCoT primers were recorded to be 0.92 and 0.76
and theirRp values ranged between 3.66 and 10, and 4 and 12
respectively. The amplification products of the regenerated plants
showed similar banding patterns to that of the mother plant thus
demonstrating the homogeneity of the micropropagated plants. A
comparative phytochemical analysis among the mother and the
micropropagated plants showed a higher yield of secondary
metabolites. The regeneration protocol developed in this study