Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife

The Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is a facility dedicated to the propagation and conservation of plant species using tissue culture techniques. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the southern part of Delhi, India, is known for its rich biodiversity and serves as an important habitat for various flora and fauna species.

Tags: GS Paper – 3- Conservation – Wildlife Sanctuary

For Prelims: APEDA, DBT, Tissue Culture, Wildlife Sanctuary

For Mains: Tissue Culture Plants and their significance.

Table of Contents

Context:

The Delhi forest department has recently launched an initiative to establish a tissue culture laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary aimed at conserving rare native trees.
The laboratory’s main objective is to cultivate endangered native trees from Delhi in a controlled setting and propagate saplings of species experiencing difficulties in regeneration due to invasive species.

What are key Facts about the Tissue Culture Laboratory?

Tissue Culture Laboratory:

The laboratory will have the capability to extract plant tissue from fully grown plants in vitro, enabling the generation of multiple trees from a single specimen.
The forest department will collaborate with botanists and scientists from esteemed institutions such as the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and the Forest Research Institute (FRI) to facilitate this process.

Other Similar Laboratories:

The National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository (NFPTCR) was established in Delhi within the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in 1986.
This facility specialises in conducting tissue culture experiments and research on various plant types, including tubers, bulbs, spices, plantation crops, horticultural crops, as well as medicinal and aromatic plants.

Application:

The Aravalli Plan:
- Regenerating ridge species like Kulu (ghost tree), palash, doodhi, and dhau face challenges from invasive species, resulting in low survival rates.
- Large-scale multiplication is only feasible through tissue culture, especially shoot culture.
- The laboratory will aid in culturing endangered medicinal plants.
Success Stories:
- Tissue culture has shown significant effectiveness in agriculture, especially with crops like bananas, apples, pomegranates, and jatropha, yielding more than traditional farming methods.

Issues:

Biodiversity experts argue that cloning should be restricted to “extremely rare trees” to prevent genetic uniformity and susceptibility to particular diseases.
Cloning can lead to limited genetic diversity, as the cloned trees are exact replicas of a single tree or plant. To counteract this, it’s advisable not to rely solely on one seed variety; instead, utilise diverse parent seeds or seed varieties to avoid creating multiple cloned trees.
Experts caution that commonly found species like khair, dhak, and desi babool in the Aravallis may not justify the expenditure of public funds, despite the potential benefits for endangered or nearly extinct species.

What is Tissue Culture?

Tissue culture, also referred to as micro-propagation, is a technique that allows for the production of multiple plants from a single parent plant using in-vitro tissue, which is cultured under controlled conditions.

Types of Plant Tissue Culture:

Callus Culture: This method involves cultivating undifferentiated masses of cells, known as callus, from explants.
Cell Suspension Culture: Individual cells or small cell aggregates are cultured in a liquid medium.
Anther/Microspore Culture: This technique is used to produce haploid plants from pollen grains or anthers.
Protoplast Culture: Isolated plant cells without cell walls are cultured in this method.

Applications of Plant Tissue Culture:

Micropropagation: Rapid clonal propagation of plants is achieved by culturing small pieces of plant tissue.
Soma-clonal Variation: Genetic variation among plant cells in culture is studied using this method.
Transgenic Plants: Foreign genes (transgenes) are introduced and expressed in plant cells.
Induction and Selection of Mutations: Mutagens are used to induce mutations for specific traits.

Animal Tissue Culture:

Animal tissue culture involves the in vitro maintenance and propagation of isolated cells, tissues, or organs from animals in a controlled artificial environment.
Typically, cells used in animal tissue culture are obtained from multicellular eukaryotes and their established cell lines. This technique enables the study of cell functions, mechanisms, and applications.
Animal cell culture has significantly impacted research and biotechnology, providing invaluable insights into cell behaviour and applications across various scientific fields.

Asola Wildlife Sanctuary:

Located at the terminus of a vital wildlife corridor originating from Sariska National Park in Alwar, the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary traverses through Mewat, Faridabad, and Gurugram districts of Haryana.
Characterised by a semi-arid climate, the region experiences notable diurnal temperature fluctuations.
The sanctuary’s vegetation primarily comprises an open-canopied thorny scrub, with native plants showcasing xerophytic adaptations such as thorny appendages, wax-coated leaves, succulence, and tomentose foliage.
The sanctuary is home to a diverse range of wildlife species, including Peafowl, Common Woodshrike, Sirkeer Malkoha, Nilgai, Golden Jackals, Spotted deer, among others.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQ)

Prelims

Q:1 With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements: (2020)

A substantial saving in seed material is made when ‘bud chip settings’ are raised in a nurse, and transplanted in the main field.
When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.
If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts have better survival as compared to large setts.
Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

Ans: (c )

Q:2 Consider the following statements: (2009)

The sweet orange plant is propagated by grafting technique.
The Jasmine plant is propagated by layering technique.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)

Source: (HT)

FAQs about the Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary:

1. What is the purpose of the Tissue Culture Laboratory at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary?

The Tissue Culture Laboratory at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary aims to conserve endangered plant species by employing tissue culture techniques. It serves as a facility for propagating rare and threatened plant species, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts.

2. How does tissue culture benefit biodiversity conservation at the sanctuary?

Tissue culture allows for the rapid propagation of plants from small amounts of tissue, such as leaves or stems, without harming the parent plant. This technique enables the sanctuary to maintain a genetically diverse collection of endangered species, aiding in their preservation and potentially reintroducing them into their natural habitats.

3. What types of plants are cultivated in the Tissue Culture Laboratory?

The laboratory focuses on cultivating a variety of endangered and rare plant species native to the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas. These may include medicinal plants, rare orchids, and other flora crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and supporting wildlife habitat.

4. Can visitors participate in activities or tours related to the Tissue Culture Laboratory?

Yes, the sanctuary may offer educational tours or workshops where visitors can learn about tissue culture techniques and the importance of plant conservation. However, direct participation in laboratory activities may be restricted due to the delicate nature of the processes involved.

5. How does the Tissue Culture Laboratory contribute to scientific research and education?

The laboratory serves as a hub for scientific research into plant conservation, genetics, and propagation techniques. Researchers may study the genetic diversity of endangered species, optimize tissue culture protocols, and develop strategies for habitat restoration. Additionally, educational programs conducted at the laboratory raise awareness about the significance of biodiversity conservation among students, researchers, and the general public.

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Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary – UPSC