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Conservation of Endangered Species Through Plant Tissue Culture in Mexican Botanical Gardens

Posted on: Thursday, 10 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

P-1023

Botanical gardens play an important role in the conservation and propagation of native species. Mexico possesses one of the highest levels of plant biodiversity of the planet, with around 30,000 species (8 to 12% of world diversity). Hence, countries like Mexico have a great responsibility to conserve its rich endemic flora; however our country faces a high rate of deforestation and illegal over-collecting of plants that has placed most of them in serious danger of extinction. For those reasons the Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanical Garden and the National University of Mexico's Botanical Garden are concerned about this huge problem, and both have been working together in order to study and conserve endangered Mexican species. The present work shows some achievements reached in the last few years, with respect to in vitro regeneration through direct organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis of different species of cycads (Ceratozamia spp., Zamia spp. Dioon cdule), induced from xygotic embryo, megagametophyte and leaves from mature individuals; direct organogenesis in three species of conifers (Picea chihuahuana, Abies religiosa y Pseudotsuga macrolepis). With angiosperms we have regenerated plants through somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis for: Magnolia dealbata (Magnoliaceae); Turbinicarpus laui, T. pseudopectinatus, Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus, A. retusus, Mammillaria san-angelesis (Cactaceae) and several orchid species (Laelia anceps, Lycaste skinneri, Mormodes tuxtlensis, Bletia urbana, Cuitlauzina pendula, Oncidium tigrinum). Moreover most of them have been successfully established in soil. The results here presented show the great potential that represents the plant tissue culture for the Botanical Gardens in the conservation of endemic and endangered species, which are essential genetic resources for the conservation and evolution of the natural ecosystems.

M. Mata, V. CHAVEZ, A. Martinez,, R. Baltazar, E. Perez., V. Salazar, P. Ortega, and R. Litz.. Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanical Garden, Km 2.5 antigua carretera a Coatepec 351 Congregation el Haya, Xalapa, Ver. 91070, Mexico and National University of Mexico's Botanical Garden, Ciurcuko exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Mexico, D.E. E-mail: matam@ecologia.cdu.mx, victorrn@ibunarn.ibiologia.unam.rnx

Copyright Society for In Vitro Biology Spring 2004

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