[Objective] This study aimed to develop a rapid propagation method in a novel temporary immersion bioreactor system(TIS) for herbal plantlets compared with solid culture method. [Method] Three herbal species,including Dendrobium candidum Wall. Ex Lindl(D. candidum),Anoectochilus roxburghii(Wall.) Lindl.(A. roxburghii) and Lilium davidii var. unicolor( L. davidii),were used and tested by TIS against solid culture method. [Result] When the two culture methods were compared,the multiplication rate of D. candidum in TIS was found to be 1∶24.71,which was 6.55 times to those of solid culture. The multiplication rate of A. roxburghii was higher than those of the solid culture,but the plantlets was poorer than those of solid culture at the last phase in bioreactor culture,under the culture condition tested. The multiplication rate in TIS of L. davidii was 1∶17.23 whilst the rate was only 1∶4.45 on solid culture,resulting larger bulbs than those in the solid culture. [Conclusion] The TIS designed in our study could provide a potential mean for industrial production of plantlets. However,the parameters vary greatly among different species,and it is to be optimized according to plant species.
