Extinct Plants To Be Recreated Through Gene Bank

The Agriculture Ministry’s research institute at the Volcani Center at Beit Dagan has a major project underway to build a gene bank of wild Israeli plants that are in danger of extinction. If a particular species disappears in the wild, it can be reintroduced from the gene bank. So far, seeds from about 185 plant species have been collected by the agency, which is formally known as the Agricultural Research Organization. There are currently about 400 species of wild plants in Israel that are considered endangered to one degree or another among the thousands of species present in the country.

Experts say Israel’s wild plant life is among the most varied and rich in the world, because the country is located at the intersection of species found in Africa and others from Central Asia. The major threats to the survival of plant species here are destruction of habitat from construction, threats by invading species and pollution.

The director of the Beit Dagan gene bank, Rivka Hadas, explained that the project was established with a number of goals in mind, including collecting seeds of plants that are of benefit to humans, either for human consumption, as animal feed or for landscaping. She said the project is being carried out in cooperation with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority with support from the Environmental Protection Ministry. Hadas said the project was designed to maintain the collection of seeds for decades and even centuries so they are available to future generations.
…

To read the whole story click here
Via http://www.haaretz.com/
Photo by dlisbona