Researchers at CTG's botanical garden successfully clone spores of wild plant under second-class national protection in China

Date: 2024-06-20

Researchers at the Xiangxi Rare Botanical Garden have recently propagated sporelings of Alsophila latebrosa, a wild plant species under second-class national protection in China.

This marks the success of a year of dedicated efforts in spore cloning, a process that has proven to be challenging due to the plant's short spore lifespan and lengthy life cycle.

Known as the "King of Ferns," Alsophila latebrosa is a species of great ecological and botanical importance. Utilizing mature spores and advanced spore cloning technologies, CTG's researchers cloned the spores of the plant.

Spore cloning technologies are pivotal for the conservation and reproduction of rare species, as they can preserve the plant's genetic traits. This approach ensures the sustainable conservation and propagation of these precious botanical resources, contributing to the biodiversity and ecological health of the region.

The Xiangxi Rare Botanical Garden, spanning 200,000 square meters, specializes in the research and preservation of rare plants, seed innovation, genetic improvement, resource utilization and ecological restoration in the lower-stream drainage area of the Jinsha River.

The botanical garden is the second large-scale rare plant conservation base established by CTG, following the Yangtze Rare Plant Research Institute. It is also CTG's first rare plant breeding and research center in the Jinsha River basin. 

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By China Three Gorges Corporation

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