Delhi Forest Department to Set Up Tissue Culture Lab to Save Endangered Local Plants

In an innovative effort to conserve endangered plant species, the Delhi Forest Department is set to establish a tissue culture lab at the Asola Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary. This lab will focus on regenerating local plant species that are rapidly vanishing from Delhi’s natural landscape. With this new initiative, plants that are hard to find or are at risk of extinction will be regenerated using advanced scientific techniques. The lab’s goal is to protect endangered plant species and improve the overall environmental health of the region.

The Challenge of Protecting Local Plants

The introduction of the tissue culture lab comes at a time when many of Delhi’s native plant species are facing significant challenges due to environmental changes and the encroachment of invasive species. According to officials in the Forest Department, an important issue is the spread of the exotic kikar (Prosopis juliflora) in areas such as the Aravalli hills and the Ridge. The invasive kikar has been overtaking local vegetation, making it difficult for native plants to thrive.

Sunish Bakshi, the Additional Chief Conservator of Forests in the Delhi Forest Department, noted that the overgrowth of kikar is one of the primary reasons why some native plant species are struggling to survive. These plants cannot grow or flourish because kikar competes for space and resources. The department has compiled a list of endangered species that need urgent attention and regeneration. Among the species identified for conservation are Hingot, Khair, Bistendu, Siris, Palash, Chamrod, Dudhi, Dhau, Desi Babul, and Kulu, which are increasingly rare in Delhi.

Tissue Culture to Save Endangered Species

The tissue culture lab is expected to be a significant step forward in conserving these species. Tissue culture is a process that involves growing plants from small pieces of plant tissue under sterile conditions in a lab. These plant tissues can then regenerate entire plants, reintroducing them into their natural habitats.

Once the lab is operational, botanists and researchers will extract plant tissue from more giant trees of the endangered species and propagate them into new plants. This technique is a form of cloning, as it allows the creation of genetically identical plants from a small tissue sample.

However, experts caution that this process should only be used for critically endangered plants, which are extremely low in number.

Ecologist Vijay Dashmana, who has been working on plant conservation, explained that tissue culture is a form of cloning that can help save species on the brink of extinction. The Forest Department is taking all necessary precautions to ensure the plants produced through this process are healthy and disease-free. Before being planted, the lab-grown plants will be tested to ensure they are free from any viruses or diseases that might affect their growth or the surrounding ecosystem.

Support from Botanists and Researchers

The Forest Department has already started the tender process for setting up the lab to be operational soon. If no external bidder is found, the department will collaborate with the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to set up the facility. The lab will require the expertise of botanists and researchers to successfully carry out tissue culture techniques. The Forest Department plans to work closely with experts from the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun.

These institutions will provide valuable support, helping to ensure that plant regeneration is carried out effectively. The lab will focus on regenerating plants from various tree species, crucial for restoring Delhi’s natural vegetation.

Previous Efforts in Plant Conservation

While this new tissue culture lab will be the first to focus on endangered plants in Delhi, similar efforts have been made in the past. In 1986, the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources established the National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository in Delhi. This facility was primarily used for tissue culture research on a few plant species. Still, its efforts were limited to just five types of plants. Since then, the use of tissue culture has expanded across India, with more than 125 tissue culture labs now in operation, many of them focused on commercially essential plants like bananas, apples, pomegranates, and jatropha.

However, despite these efforts, the need for a dedicated facility for endangered local plants in Delhi has become increasingly apparent. According to the Forest Department, some species like Kulu, Palash, Dudhi, and Dhau are now scarce in the Delhi Ridge area, and efforts to regenerate them using traditional methods have failed. The tissue culture lab is necessary to reverse these species’ decline and protect the city’s biodiversity.

The Future of Plant Conservation in Delhi

The Delhi Forest Department is optimistic that the tissue culture lab, soon to be operational, will help conserve critical plant species and restore the city’s natural landscape. The lab will focus on regenerating endangered species and contribute to the region’s broader goal of environmental conservation.

The Forest Department plans to expand its efforts in the coming years, involving more species and incorporating other modern conservation techniques. The success of this initiative could provide a model for different regions in India that are struggling to preserve their native plant species.

Establishing the tissue culture lab marks an essential milestone in Delhi’s environmental conservation efforts. It reflects the growing recognition of the need for innovative solutions to address the challenges of biodiversity loss and habitat destruction.

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