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DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrhs.net.v11.i9.1
Dr. Syed Feroze Ahamed
Asst. professor
Anjuman-E-Islam’s
Nehru Arts Science and Commerce College, Ganthikeri, Hubli, Karnataka-580020
Orcid id https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7200-9631
Abstract— The accelerating loss of plant biodiversity due to habitat destruction, climate change, overexploitation, and invasive species has placed a growing number of rare and endangered plant taxa at risk of extinction. Conventional in situ conservation, while ecologically preferable, cannot always keep pace with the rate of habitat loss or protect species with fragmented, dwindling populations. Plant tissue culture has therefore become an essential complementary strategy for ex situ conservation, offering the means to multiply scarce genetic material, establish disease-free clonal stocks, and store germplasm for extended periods through slow-growth storage and cryopreservation. This paper reviews the role of tissue culture techniques, including micropropagation, in vitro slow-growth storage, and cryopreservation, in safeguarding rare plant species. It examines documented case studies, evaluates the genetic stability of regenerated material, and discusses the practical challenges that limit broader application of these methods. The review concludes that while tissue culture cannot replace habitat protection, it provides a scientifically robust safety net that, when integrated into comprehensive conservation programs, significantly improves the prospects of survival for the world’s most vulnerable plant species.
Keywords: Plant tissue culture, In vitro propagation, Micropropagation, Rare and endangered species, Germplasm conservation, Cryopreservation, Somatic embryogenesis, Ex situ conservation
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