Acclimatization of Tiger Orchid ( Grammatophyllum speciosum . Blume) Plantlets on Various Growing Media and Shade Levels

: Background : Tiger orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum. Blume) is designated as a protected species based on Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia, number 7 of 1999. Efforts to preserve the tiger orchid can be carried out by plant propagation using tissue culture techniques. This study aims to analyze the effects of growing media and shade levels on the growth and vigor of acclimatized plantlets. The research was conducted at the Permanent Nursery Greenhouse of BPDAS Barito, Guntung Manggis, Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan. Materials and Methods: The experimental method is employed as the research method with an experimental design using a split plot design, the main plot is the shade levels consisting of 3 levels (paranet 50%, paranet 70%, and paranet 90%), and the growing media consisting of 4 levels (peat moss, fern, husk charcoal, and cocopeat) with 3 replications. The observed parameters included plant height, leaf length, leaf growth, survival percentage, and plantlet vigor. Results : The results showed that the interaction of growing media and shade level treatments had significant effects on plantlet growth, except for the parameters of number of leaves (plant height p < 0.01, leaf length p 0.04, leaf growth p 1.344, and survival percentage p 0.015). The main plot treatment had significant effects on the parameters (height p 0.002, leaf length p 0.035, number of leaves p 0.014, and survival percentage p 0.011). Sub-plot treatments had significant effects on plant height p < 0.01, leaf length p < 0.01, and survival percentage p 0.001, but had no significant effect on the parameter of number of leaves p 0.517. Conclusion: The best treatment combination was paranet 50%+ cocopeat. The vigor of plantlets was classified into some categories, namely very low (3 plantlets), low (7 plantlets), medium (13 plantlets), good (12 plantlets), and very good (1 plantlet). m = fern; m 3 = husk charcoal; and m 4 = cocopeat. Subjects & selection method : The treatment combinations in this study were 12 combinations and each treatment combination was repeated 3 times. Each experimental plot consisted of 10 plantlets, so there were 360 plantlets of tiger orchids. The research parameters included growth parameters (plantlet height, leaf length, number of leaves, and survival percentage) and plantlet vigor parameters.