Symbiotic seed germination for conservation and cultivation of orchids holds colossal merit as
mycorrhizal fungus in its system improves their growth and adaptability. Symbiotic activity is
highly specific in some species, but in other cases the same fungus from one species is effective in a
series of related species. The present work describes inter-specific activity of three fungal isolates
from seedling root of Vanda thwaitesii to support seed germination and seedling growth of V.
wightii, a closely related species from India. Among the three isolates, two designated as Wyd2 and
Idk were identified as Ceratobasidium sp through sequencing of ITS1 and ITS4 regions. One
isolate designated as Wyd1 did not clad with any described genera, but remained as an out-group
under the family Ceratobasidiaceae. All the three isolates possessed binucleate hyphae producing
ellipsoidal, oval or barrel shaped monilioid cells and supported 80–95% seed germination,
transforming 70–85% of them into protocorms in 30 days duration. Symbiotic seedling
development starting with the promeristem formation, first leaf development and second leaf
initiation occurred in 95% of the protocorms in a time interval of 60 days compared to 90–120 days
through asymbiotic method. The fungal isolates from Vanda thwaitesii evaluated are proved
effective in V. wightii for its symbiotic seed germination and thus useful to mycorrhiza assisted
conservation.