In Vitro Conservation of Endangered Germplasm
Indiscriminate harvest, poor perpetuity in nature, and lack of efficiency with conventional propagation methods, pose major limitations in the restoration of endangered species. In vitro technologies facilitate long-term conservation and sustainable use of plant biodiversity. CRISSP (Canadian Research Initiative for Saving the Sacred Plants) is an interdisciplinary research initiative of the Plant Cell Technology Laboratory (PCTL) with a mandate to advance the knowledge and application of in vitro culture technologies for the conservation, sustainable use, restoration, and replenishment of sacred plant species to their natural environments. Although all plants on this planet are important, for the purposes of this program, sacred plants are defined as species which are: 1) rare and endangered, 2) seriously restricted in reproduction in natural ecosystems, 3) unusual in growth and developmental characteristics offering interesting opportunities for research, education, and commercial application, 4) critical to food security and biodiversity, or 5) traditionally used in medicinal, religious, spiritual and cultural practices. In vitro tissue culture facilitates a continuous supply of germplasm, selection of elite individuals, and the development and propagation of disease-resistant, pathogen-free plants. Development of technologies for controlled environment multiplication of plants is a key element in our approach for long-term conservation, genetic improvement, and commercialization of sacred plant species. A current initiative of CRISSP is focused on important trees such as the American elm, which face extinction due to fungal disease, and several other endangered species native to Canada.
