FEBRACE announced that Brazilian student Beatriz Maria Ferreira dos Santos won third place in Plant Sciences at Regeneron ISEF 2026 for an orchid cultivation project that reportedly made in vitro growth about 90% faster than commercial methods. The work centers on a low-cost medium made with plant extracts, a practical idea aimed at one of the slowest and most delicate areas of ornamental plant production.
The project, titled Uso de extratos vegetais como acelerador de orquídeas no cultivo in vitro e desenvolvimento de keikis, Fase II, was developed by a student from Colégio Estadual Jardim Porto Alegre, Unidade II, in Toledo, Paraná. According to FEBRACE, the method produced stronger seedlings and could lower the time and cost required to multiply orchids in the lab.
For growers and conservationists, the appeal is clear. Orchids can be slow to establish, slow to flower and difficult to reproduce at scale. A cheaper growth medium could help schools, small labs and plant nurseries work with species that usually require specialized techniques and long timelines.
A Global Award for Orchid Science
Regeneron ISEF 2026 took place from May 9 to 15 in Phoenix, Arizona. The event brings together high school researchers from around the world and is widely treated as the leading international science and engineering competition for pre-university students. Beatriz’s project placed third in Plant Sciences, earning a $1,200 award.
The recognition came through Brazil’s FEBRACE delegation. FEBRACE, the Brazilian Science and Engineering Fair, selects young researchers for international competition and reported the award after the Grand Awards Ceremony. The project had already stood out in Brazil for its focus on orchid propagation, a field where small gains in growth speed can matter across months or years.
At its heart, the work asks a practical question. Can low-cost plant materials help young orchids grow more quickly in sterile lab culture? FEBRACE reported that the answer was promising under the conditions tested. The alternative medium showed performance about 90% superior to commercial media in seedling production.
That figure makes the result attention-grabbing. It also calls for careful reading. This was a student research project evaluated in a science fair setting, so wider adoption would require additional testing across species, labs and production systems. Even so, the award signals that judges saw scientific value in the approach and its potential use.
The Plant Extract Method
The method uses plant extracts as part of a culture medium for orchids grown under laboratory conditions. In vitro cultivation places seeds or tissues in a controlled nutrient environment, where temperature, contamination, moisture and nutrients can be managed more precisely than in open soil or greenhouse settings.
Orchid seeds are unusually challenging for growers because they are tiny and contain very limited stored food. In nature, many orchids depend on relationships with fungi during germination. In the lab, a culture medium supplies nutrients directly, which allows seedlings to start growing without the same ecological partner.
Commercial media can be effective, yet cost and access can limit their use. Beatriz’s project explored a cheaper alternative that could be prepared with plant-based ingredients. FEBRACE describes the work as a search for an accessible way to accelerate orchid production and reduce the resources needed for cultivation.
The project also refers to a low-cost medium called DIO, developed at Colégio Estadual Jardim Porto Alegre. In the FEBRACE materials, the medium is described as part of a broader effort to make in vitro orchid cultivation cheaper and easier to prepare. That school-based angle is important because it shows how research infrastructure can grow from local experimentation.
Plant extracts can contain sugars, minerals, organic compounds and natural growth-related substances. The exact effects depend on the material used and how it is processed. The reported result suggests that the tested formulation supplied young orchids with conditions that supported faster and more vigorous development.
Faster Seedlings in the Lab
The central result was faster growth of orchid seedlings cultivated in vitro. FEBRACE reported that the alternative medium developed in the project performed about 90% better than commercial methods in plantlet production. The seedlings also showed signs of stronger development.
In practice, a faster seedling stage can change the economics of orchid production. Lab-grown seedlings occupy containers, shelves, sterile materials and staff time. When growth improves, a producer may be able to move plants through the pipeline sooner and use fewer resources per batch.
In vitro cultivation also helps standardize early growth. Each plant starts in a controlled setting, which can make comparisons easier than outdoor trials. Researchers can look at root length, leaf development, survival and the number of new shoots. FEBRACE indicated that the project examined growth and seedling formation as key measures.
Even a strong laboratory result needs follow-up work. Orchid growers care about what happens after plants leave sterile culture. Seedlings must adapt to pots, humidity changes, light, microbes and routine handling. A medium that works well in the lab gains practical value when the plants also survive the transfer into real production conditions.
The project’s competition success shows that a simple idea can open a scientific path. Beatriz focused on an accessible formulation, then compared it with commercial media. That combination of affordability and measurable growth makes the work unusually relevant for students, growers and small laboratories.
Keikis and Mass Propagation
Another part of the project examined keikis, the small plantlets that can form on some orchids. A keiki is essentially a new young plant that develops asexually from the parent plant. Once it has enough roots and leaves, it can often be separated and grown on its own.
FEBRACE’s materials describe the study as involving keiki development in Dendrobium nobile, a well-known orchid species often grown for its showy flowers. The project looked at how plant extracts and the alternative medium could support both in vitro development and the production of these new plantlets.
The reported numbers are striking. In some structures observed during the research, production reached up to 50 new plants. For propagation, that kind of multiplication can be powerful because one plant can become a source for many genetically similar offspring.
Mass propagation matters in horticulture because buyers often want plants with predictable flower color, shape and vigor. Asexual propagation through keikis can preserve traits from the parent plant. That can help growers reproduce desirable plants more efficiently.
The same process could also matter for rare plants, provided it is handled carefully. Conservation work needs genetic diversity, disease control and proper reintroduction planning. Still, the ability to produce many young plants from limited material can give researchers more options when dealing with vulnerable orchid populations.
Why Orchid Growth Takes So Long
Orchids are famous for beauty, variety and patience. FEBRACE materials note that the time from cultivation to first flowering can range from three to 10 years. That long timeline makes orchid production costly and can discourage small growers or schools from working with slow species.
The slow pace begins early. Orchid seeds are dust-like and need special conditions to germinate. Once seedlings appear, they must develop roots and leaves strong enough to survive outside the sterile container. Each step can take time and losses can occur if contamination or stress affects the culture.
Lab cultivation gives growers more control over the earliest stages. Sterile containers reduce the risk of unwanted microbes, while prepared media supply nutrients. Light and temperature can also be managed. These advantages explain why in vitro methods are widely used for orchids and other plants that are difficult to germinate or multiply.
Cost remains a major barrier. Culture media, sterile equipment and technical training can make laboratory propagation feel out of reach for smaller programs. A low-cost medium that performs well could make orchid science more accessible, especially in schools and community-linked research settings.
That accessibility may be one reason the project stood out. Beatriz’s work connects a botanical challenge with a practical production problem. Faster growth alone is useful and lower cost makes the idea more widely relevant.
A Possible Boost for Conservation
Orchid conservation is complicated because many species live in specific habitats and depend on specialized ecological relationships. Habitat loss, illegal collection and slow reproduction can put pressure on vulnerable species. Propagation methods can support conservation when they are paired with careful habitat work.
The project’s potential conservation value comes from scale. If a method can produce more seedlings at lower cost, researchers may have more plant material for study, nursery growth, or future restoration programs. FEBRACE noted that the technique could contribute to the preservation of endangered species and their reintroduction into natural environments.
There are important steps between a lab result and a successful reintroduction. Plants need to be genetically suitable for the target population. They also need to survive outside the lab and interact with local fungi, pollinators and climate conditions. Conservation teams usually test these factors before releasing propagated plants.
Still, propagation is a key piece of the puzzle. When rare orchids produce few viable seedlings in the wild, laboratory methods can help maintain living collections. They can also reduce pressure on wild populations by giving growers legal cultivated alternatives.
Beatriz’s low-cost approach could be especially valuable in regions with rich biodiversity and limited research budgets. Brazil has extraordinary plant diversity, including many orchids. A school-based method that lowers barriers could help more young scientists study native species and practical conservation tools.
Brazil’s Eight ISEF 2026 Awards
Brazil’s delegation earned eight awards at Regeneron ISEF 2026, according to FEBRACE. The group included students selected by FEBRACE and Mostratec-Liberato. Their projects competed across scientific categories and special recognitions at the international event.
Beatriz’s orchid project was one of the Brazilian highlights because it combined a familiar plant with a clear technical challenge. Many people know orchids as decorative flowers, yet their production involves biology, chemistry, sterile technique and patient observation. The project turned that complexity into a testable question.
The award also shows how student research can address real agricultural and environmental problems. A classroom or school laboratory can become a place where young researchers test methods, measure outcomes and improve techniques that may later be expanded by universities or production labs.
For SciTech readers, the larger story is the growth of practical science outside traditional research centers. A student in Paraná developed a low-cost formulation, tested it against commercial approaches and brought the result to a global stage. The reported 90% improvement gives the project its headline power. The next scientific value will come from replication, refinement and testing across more orchid types.
If future studies confirm the result, the method could offer a cheaper route for orchid propagation and plant conservation work. For now, the achievement marks a notable win for Brazilian student science and a reminder that important ideas can begin with careful experiments on a lab bench.
