Orchids (Family Orchidaceae) are ornamentally valuable and unique group of flowering plants. They are valued mostly for their long lasting and diverse morphology of flowers. Some orchids are highly prized due to their application in food, flavor and medicinal industry. Seed germination and vegetative propagation are the methods through which orchid plants regenerate in nature. Both these methods of regeneration are quite slow to fulfill orchid demand. Plant tissue culture technique has been used extensively in multiplication of orchids. Although seed germination produces heterogenous population but most of orchid species are multiplied by asymbiotic seed germination. Propagation through protocorm-like-bodies (PLBs) or direct from explant regeneration is quite more advantageous to multiply orchids. Artificial seed technology is another method used for orchid multiplication, transport and conservation of endangered orchid species. Culture of medicinal orchids for production of bioactive metabolites could be used as substitute for dependence on natural population.

Keywords: Orchids; Propagation; Protocom like bodies; Thidiazuron; Secondary metabolite; Synthetic seed.