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How to observe the life history of sexual reproduction in Gastrodia elata

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The seeds of Gastrodia elata are composed of an embryo and a single layer of cells, with no endosperm. The seeds are very small, averaging 0.69 mm in length and 0.14 mm in width, with the embryo averaging 187 micrometers in length. When sown in early June, half a month later the embryo cells begin to differentiate, the embryo diameter increases noticeably, the middle of the seed swells, the suspensor is dark in color, and the newly differentiated cells at the apex of the embryo are light in color; then the seed coat ruptures at this end, and the embryo breaks through the seed coat. July happens to be the rainy season in the production areas, with soil temperature around 25°C and soil moisture around 60%. The Gastrodia elata seeds germinate one after another, and 26 days after sowing they grow to a length of

The seeds of Gastrodia elata are composed of an embryo and a single layer of cells, with no endosperm. The seeds are very small, averaging 0.69 mm in length and 0.14 mm in width, with the embryo averaging 187 micrometers in length. When sown in early June, half a month later the embryo cells begin to differentiate, the embryo diameter increases noticeably, the middle of the seed swells, the suspensor is dark in color, and the newly differentiated cells at the apex of the embryo are light in color; then the seed coat ruptures at this end, and the embryo breaks through the seed coat.

July happens to be the rainy season in the production areas, with soil temperature around 25°C and soil moisture around 60%. The Gastrodia elata seeds germinate one after another, and 26 days after sowing they grow into germinating protocorms 0.8 mm long and 0.49 mm in diameter. The germination end is irregular, but more germinate in June. The germinating protocorms continue to grow, and 30 to 40 days after sowing, by mid-July, the protocorms average 1.19 mm in length and about 0.77 mm in diameter; some protocorms begin to show obvious nipple-like bract protrusions, and the vegetative propagation stems protrude beyond the bracts and grow, reaching 7 to 8 nodes, with alternating lateral buds growing from each node. By late August, some protocorms and the nutritional relationship can be observed, with Armillaria hyphae or rhizomorphs infecting them; the infected parts are the protocorms and vegetative propagation stems. For protocorms that germinate early after sowing, if they can connect with Armillaria in time, the mi-ma (rice tubers) they grow into before overwintering will be larger, short and stout, and then new mi-ma or bai-ma (white tubers) can be produced at the apex in the same year, growing over 2 cm long. By November, the largest bai-ma is 2.3 cm long, 1.4 cm in diameter, and weighs over 3 grams. The lateral buds grow in a manner similar to the main stem, and plump tertiary buds can grow on the lateral buds. After November they stop growing and enter dormancy.

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