At Asola Bhattisanctuary, a ‘seed bank’ of plants native to the Aravallis

At Asola Bhattisanctuary, a ‘seed bank’ of plants native to the Aravallis

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

A ‘SEED bank’, which collects and stores seeds of species of plants that are native to the Aravallis, is gradually taking shape at a nursery at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, after a few years of efforts at collecting seeds from across the city and other state,

The project, being implemented jointly by the Forest Department and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), began in 2015withthepurpose of providing saplings that are native to the city and bringing back species that are now difficult to find in the city with some having lost out to invasive species like the vilayatikikar which have taken over the Ridge

What is seed bank?

A seed bank is a facility that stores seeds in order to maintain genetically pure variety for future generations. Typically, they are flood, bomb, and radiation-proof vaults that store seeds from various plant species. The seeds are usually stored in climate controlled, low humidity and frigid temperatures. This aids in the long -term preservation of the seeds, guaranteeing that they will grow at a later day.

As per one estimate, there are over 1700 seed banks around the world, each with its own type, size, and concentration. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often known as the “doomsday vault” or “Noah’s ark of seeds,” seeks to hold a duplicate of every seed stored in other banks throughout the world. Svalbard has the capacity to store up to 4.5 million kinds of crops and 2.5 billion seeds. It contains about 1.14 million seed samples from over 6,000 distinct plant species.

WHY SEEDS BANKS ARE ESSENTIAL

The first step of growing food starts from seed. To sustain the planet and all living beings, plants are paramount. Since plants are threatened by a variety of factors, including loss of habitat, climate change, pollution, pests, and diseases, seed banks serve as an institution in building agricultural resilience in the times of crisis. It is estimated that 40% of plant species are threatened with extinction on a global scale. Plants that are rare, heritage, indigenous, wild, or locally distinctive are all at risk of extinction. Their extinction could result in the genetic deterioration of our food system.

Without good genetic diversity, adapting to climate change or new pests can be challenging. Crop breeders require a diverse set of genetic resources to aid in the adaptation of our crops to changing situations. A seed bank is a type of insurance, that allows us to safeguard as many plant species as possible from extinction.

BENEFITS OF SEED BANKS

Plant genetic diversity is important for a variety of reasons, and seed banks help to preserve it. These conserved seeds contain a wealth of beneficial genes that breeders might employ to build improved varieties of our most important food crops. A few specific benefits of seed banks:

• Improve plant disease and pest resistance, both existing and emerging
• Allow for drought or flood resistance
• To feed a growing global population, increase yields and improve nutrition

The Kunming Institute of Botany’s Germplasm Bank of Wild Species of China is striving to preserve the seeds of as many wild plants as possible from across China’s huge land area. Many wild plants have genes that enable them to thrive in difficult conditions and make them resistant to diseases and drought. We may need these genetic resources in the future to produce new crops that can better adapt to shifting climate.

Why Aravalli important?

• The Aravalli is the National Capital Region’s critical water recharge zone, climate regulator, wildlife habitat and barrier against desertification

Aravalli:

• The Aravalli Range (also spelled Aravali) is a mountain range in Northwestern India.
• It runs approximately 670 km (430 mi) in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
• The highest peak is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft). Guru Shikhar is a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Rajasthan. It is 15 km from Mount Abu.
• Three major rivers and their tributaries flow from the Aravalli, namely Banas and Sahibi rivers which are tributaries of Yamuna, as well as Luni River which flows into the Rann of Kutch.