Research Article | Published: 15 December 2023

Improved seed germination techniques for selected endemic and threatened species of Andhra Pradesh

Chennuru Nagendra and Araveeti Madhusudhana Reddy

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 46 | Issue: 3 | Page No. 146-151 | 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2023-2A4KHD | Cite this article

Abstract

The main biodiversity crises of the new current millennium are extinction and species introduction. A species may be critically endangered and ultimately extinct when death rates exceed birth for a prolonged duration. The reasons may be either natural or anthropogenic. Nowadays, anthropogenic factors are prominent and cause the extinction of many species in the wild. To prevent the present problem conservation can be possible only through ex-situ methods. In the present study, six highly threatened species were selected for improving macro propagation techniques by using different seed germination methods. Seed germination response was best on by using mature soaked and scarified seeds. The preferable nutrient medium is a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio of red soil, black soil, cocopeat, sand and vermicompost. Through this study, we recorded good germination percentages with Boswellia ovalifoliolata 79%, Croton scabiosus 76%, Hildegardia populifolia 73%, Pterocarpus santalinus 71%, Shorea tumbuggaia 66%, Syzygium alternifolium 69%. These propagation methods are low cost and effectively worked and can be possible for restoration of species in their natural habitats through ex-situ conservation and to avoid the species extinction in the wild.

Keywords

Eastern Ghats, Ex-situ conservation, Seed germination, Threatened species

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Ahmedullah, M. and Nayar M.P., 1987. Endemic Plants of the Indian Region—Volume 1. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.

Google Scholar

2. Ahmedullah, M., 1990. Hildegardia populifolia, pp. 251-253.In Nayar, M.P and A.R.K. Sastry (eds). Red Data Book of Indian Plants-Volume 3. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.

3. Ahmedullah, M., 2021. Pterocarpus santalinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021.

Google Scholar

4. Frankham, R., Ballou, J.D., Briscoe, D.A. and McInnes K.H., 2002 Introduction to conservation genetics. Cambridge university press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808999

5. Haridasan, K., Ravikumar, K., Saha, D. and Ved, D., 2015. Shorea tumbuggaia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Google Scholar

6. Lavanya, A.R., Muthukrishnan, S., Kumaresan, V., Benjamin, J.H.F. and Rao, M.V., 2012. In vitro micropropagation of Hildegardia populifolia (Roxb.) Schott & Endl., endangered tree species from Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Agricultural Technology, 8(5), pp.1727-1744.

Google Scholar

7. Li, D.Z. and Pritchard, H.W., 2009. The science and economics of ex situ plant conservation. Trends in plant science 14(11), pp.614-621.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2009.09.005

Google Scholar

8. Madhava Chetty, K. and Rao, KN., 1990. Endemic plants to Tirumala Hills Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Vegetos, 3, pp.12-15.

Google Scholar

9. Menges, E.S., 1991. Seed germination percentage increases with population size in a fragmented prairie species. Conservation biology, 5(2), pp.158-164.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.1991.tb00120.x

Google Scholar

10. Mounce, R., Smith, P. and Brockington, S., 2017. Ex situ conservation of plant diversity in the world’s botanic gardens. Nature Plants, 3(10), pp.795-802.  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-017-0019-3

Google Scholar

11. Oldfield, S.F., 2009. Botanic gardens and the conservation of tree species. Trends in plant science, 14(11), pp.581-583.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2009.08.013

Google Scholar

12. Padmalatha, K. and Prasad, M.N.V., 2007. Seed germination studies in Pterocarpus santalinus LF–an endangered and endemic medicinal plant, and relevance to conservation. Seed Science and  Biotechnology, 1(2), pp.32-34.

Google Scholar

13. Pullaiah, T., Chennaiah, E. and Rani, S.S., 2018. Flora of Andhra Pradesh, pp.557-559. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers.

Google Scholar

14. Raju, K.K. and Nagaraju, A., 1999. Geobotany of red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus)–a case study from the Southeastern portion of Andhra Pradesh. Environmental Geology, 37(4), pp.340-344.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s002540050393

Google Scholar

15. Rani, S.S. and Pullaiah, T., 2002. A taxonomic survey of trees in Eastern Ghats. In Proceedings of National Seminar on the Conservation of Eastern Ghats (pp.5-15).

Google Scholar

16. Rao, C.K., Geetha, B.L. and Suresh, G., 2003. Red List of Threatened Vascular Plant Species in India. BSI, Calcutta.

Google Scholar

17. Ricketts, T.H., Dinerstein, E., Boucher, T., Brooks, T.M., Butchart, S.H., Hoffmann, M. and Rodrigues, A.S., 2005. Pinpointing and preventing imminent extinctions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(51), pp.18497-18501.  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0509060102

Google Scholar

18. Saha, D., Ved, D., Ravikumar, K. and Haridasan, K., 2015. Syzygium alternifolium. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.

Google Scholar

19. Saha, D., Ved, D., Ravikumar, K. and Haridasan, K., 2015. Boswellia ovalifoliolata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

20. Salamma, S. and Rao, B.R.P., 2014. Distribution and conservation status of Croton scabiosus Bedd. (Euphorbiaceae), an endemic tree species of southern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 6(10), pp.6363-6370.  https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o4060.6363-70

Google Scholar

21. Salamma, S. and Rao, B.R.P., 2014. In vitro propagation of Croton scabiosus Bedd. (Euphorbiaceae), an endemic and vulnerable tree species. Journal of Advances in Biotechnology, 3(3), pp. 229-240.

Google Scholar

22. Sanjappa, M., 2001. Leguminosae. Floristic diversity and conservation strategies in India, 4, pp.1846-1960.

Google Scholar

23. Saradha, M. and Paulsamy, S., 2012. Effect of growth hormones on rooting attributes of stem cuttings of endangered plant species, Hildegardia populifolia (Roxb.) Schott & Endl. (Sterculiaceae). International Journal of Biology, Pharmacy and Allied Sciences, 1, pp.1145–1152.

Google Scholar

24. Sarcar, M.K. and Sarcar, A.B., 2002. Status, Botanical Description, Natural Distribution Zone, Propagation Practices and Conservation Efforts of Hildegardia Populifolia (Roxb.) Schott & endl. - a Threatened Tree Species of Dry Tropical forests in India. Indian forester, 128 (7), pp.757-770.

Google Scholar

25. Savithramma, N., Ankanna, S. and Bhumi, G., 2012. Effect of nanoparticles on seed germination and seedling growth of Boswellia ovalifoliolata an endemic and endangered medicinal tree taxon. Nano Vision, 2(1), pp.61-68.

Google Scholar

26. Singh, P., Karthikeyan, K. and  Lakshminarasimhan, P. and Dash, S.S., 2015. Endemic vascular plants of India. Botanical Survey of India. Government of India.

Google Scholar

27. Shukla, S.P. and Sharma, A., 2017. In vitro seed germination, proliferation, and ISSR marker-based clonal fidelity analysis of Shorea tumbuggaia Roxb. An endangered and high trade medicinal tree of Eastern Ghats. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant, 53(3), pp.200-208.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-017-9818-5

Google Scholar

28. Walter, K.S. and Gillett, H.J.,(eds) 1998.  1997 IUCN red list of threatened plants. IUCN.

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Nagendra, C. and Reddy, A.M., 2023. Improved seed germination techniques for selected endemic and threatened species of Andhra Pradesh. Indian Journal of Forestry, 46(3), pp.146-151. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2023-2A4KHD

Publication History

Manuscript Received on 27 March 2023

Manuscript Revised on 15 November 2023

Manuscript Accepted on 17 November 2023

Manuscript Published on 15 December 2023

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: