Ex Situ Conservation Efforts India, National Gene Bank, Seed Repository, Cryo Bank, National Facility Plant Tissue Culture Repository

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Biodiversity and its Conservation
Biodiversity and its Conservation Introduction
Current Levels of Biodiversity
Alpha (α) and Beta(β) Biodiversity
Extinction and Endangered Species
Reasons of Concern for Loss of Biodiversity
Ethical and Aesthetic Rewards
Economic Benefits
Essential Services Provided by Natural Ecosystems
Steps to Preserve Biodiversity
In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation Gene Banks
In Situ Conservation
Ex Situ Conservation
Ex Situ Conservation Efforts at International Level
Ex Situ Conservation Efforts by G-15 Countries
Ex Situ Conservation Efforts in USA

	Ex situ conservation efforts in India. In India also, an Indo-US project on plant genetic resources was signed in 1988, with an outlay of 23.95 million US dollars (approx. Rs 72 crores) for a period of seven years (upto 1995). This project involved construction of a National Gene Bank consisting of 0) Seed Repository (storage at -20°C), (ii) Cryo-Bank (storage at -96°C) and (iii) Tissue Culture Repository (l0-25°C). It is also recognized that facilities in India are already available for the medium and long term storage of seeds of those crop plants, that can withstand high drying and low temperature.
However, in vitro conservation techniques including tissue culture and cryopreservation offer distinct advantages. In view of this, in 1986 with the financial support from the Department of Biotechnology (Govt. of India), NFPTCR (National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository) was established at NBPGR (National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources) located in New Delhi. For the development of this facility, initially a budget of Rs 2.96 crores was provided for a period of five years (1985-1990). An additional sum of Rs 2.80 crores was sanctioned for the next five years (1991-1995) for continuation and expansion of tissue culture facility. This national facility aims at developing suitable in vitro conservation technologies for medium and long-term preservation of clonally propagated agri-biohorticultural and plantation crops including their wild relatives. The programme also aims at developing techniques for cryopreservation of seeds, pollen and in vitro cultures; for this purpose liquid nitrogen (-196° C) container and a liquid nitrogen plant are already in operation for cryopreservation. A range of crops like millets (pearl millet, minor millet), oil seeds (Brassica spp., sunflower, sesame), vegetables (onion, carrot, chilli, amaranth, turnip, radish, tomato), pulses (Vigna spp). And narcotics (tobacco, popy) have been maintained for several year in liquid nitrogen without any decline have been maintained for several years in liquid nitrogen without any decline in viability or vigour. The strategy of desiccating excised embryonic axes has led to the successful cryopreservation of even recalcitrant seed species (e.g. tea, orange, neem) and is being tried for cocoa, jackfruit and almond, etc.
Short-term or medium-term conservation at NFPTCR are also being tried through long-term root cultures, which are capable of regenerating in shoots (e.g. Citrus = lime). Similarly shoot cultures of banana, ginger, greater yam (Dioscorea alata), and sheet potato could be maintained for 8-24 months at 25°C. The sub-culture interval for this purpose can be extended by using low temperatures ranging from 4°C to 15°C, although chilling sensitivity varies between species. This technique is also used to keep the tissue cultures free from viruses (consult Chapter 30 for details). Conservation efforts by private sector (community seed banks or gene banks, etc.). The preservation of diversity (particularly of endangered plants, plantation crops and industrial crops) is not solely the domain of large national and international programmes.
In recent years, several organizations collectively called Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), 'Seed Savers Exchange', and industries (e.g. community and regional seed banks or gene bank ) have emerged to support and expand local efforts on global biodiversity conservation. In many cases, they link traditional farmers with ex situ conservation programmes. "Seed Savers Exchange" conserves and exchanges over 5000 native varieties. Ex situ conservation of crops like sugarcane, rubber, oil palm, pineapple, etc. is also done by industries. Farmers also help in ex-situ conservation of forest trees and fruit trees through practice of agroforestry, which is facilitated and encouraged by ICRAF (International Centre for Research on Agroforestry).