Linking conservation of forest genetic resources to species restoration in Western Himalayas
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Himalayas are rich repositories of biodiversity and provide ecosystem goods and services to the communities of the area. Many ecologically and socio-economically important species of the Himalayan region are threatened due to their utilization, deforestation, degradation and climate change. These threaten the sustainability of forest genetic resources and highlight the importance of conservation and sustainable management of these resources. A research program on conservation of Forest Genetic Resources (FGRs) with special focus on the exploration of FGRs of North-West Himalayas has been undertaken with the support from Environment and Forest Ministry of India. Under the programme major activities undertaken are documentation of species populations, their characterization and germplasm storage. The population of the prioritized species are being explored, populations geo-tagged, phenological observations and species associations recorded. Their seeds are collected at maturity, processed, tested for quality and desiccated to safe moisture levels for storage. The seed storage physiology of important Himalayan species like spruce, fir, Acer spp., oaks, Carpinus, Buxus, Fraxinus, pines, rhododendrons, walnut, Corylus, Hippophae, medicinal shrubs/trees, etc. are being studied for chalking out a long-term ex situ conservation programme. Seeds of most of these species have orthodox seeds which after slow desiccation to lowest safe moisture levels are vacuum sealed and stored in seed bank at -180C for periodic regeneration. Thus, ex situ conservation becomes the focal point of gene conservation programme of FGRs of Himalayan Region. Conservation units of species, in nature, that maintain vital genetic diversity for the species survival and adaptive capacity for their sustenance are important. Utilizing the knowledge and information from long-term FGR conservation programmes for chalking out robust species restoration strategies, will only script the success stories.
Keywords: Conservation, Forest Genetic Resources, Seeds,field germplasm bank, species restoration
ID: 3486837