Plant germplasm collection evaluation and genetic improvement

The international understanding developed to adopt and recognize the conservation of biodiversity as a global issue and legal binding of sustainable use of natural resources. The conservation initiative promotes the management of natural resources for the purpose of sustaining biodiversity in species, ecosystems, human culture and society. It has been estimated that one third of the global plant species are threatened in different level due to increasing population pressure, urbanization, overexploitation and unsustainable utilization of natural resources. Therefore, Effective conservation strategies is urgently required to safeguard the plant diversity.

We have taken initiative to establish a seed bank at Lushan Botanical Garden that will contribute in conservation of wild plant resources that could be used in future for sustainable economic development of country as well as it will accelerate the wild plant germplasm preservation in order to achieve the National target of biodiversity conservation. We have collected 105 species from 80 genus and 42 family so far from different locations in Jiujiang and nearby area. Besides this, we have collected some species from different locations in order to compare the effect of different habitat conditions on their seed germination. Such inter population variability study in terms of their germination response will enable us in identifying the best location/ habitat for seed collection. Besides this, we will also test the effect of different environmental conditions on seed germination and identifying cues that overcome dormancy and promote germination of high values species.