The development of in vitro proliferation allows us to
produce a large number of the same
individuals in a very short time. To produce as many individuals
in the natur, it would take a
much longer time. By the in vitro proliferation result all identical plants. I suspect that when wrong environmental conditions, despite the high number of species all orchids population
can die, because the plants from the in vitro proliferation are genetically identical offspring from the
mother plant, in this population is less
genetic diversity then in a natural plant community. The
result of this reduced genetic diversity, the plant can’t adapt to changing
environmental conditions, as the wild variant would do. Before new plants get
planted, we must know why the orchids don’t grow on this place any more. Is it
because a too intensive fertilization or aren’t they able to reproduce in a
natural way?
Even if so many plants are produced by in vitro and planted out, if the environment is not optimal for the orchids, the effort in the laboratory is hardly worth because the orchid can only be established in an appropriate habitat. Therefore, it is particularly important to protect the habitats of orchids.
Even if so many plants are produced by in vitro and planted out, if the environment is not optimal for the orchids, the effort in the laboratory is hardly worth because the orchid can only be established in an appropriate habitat. Therefore, it is particularly important to protect the habitats of orchids.
Referring to your toughts about the genetic diversity, which is decreasing because of the in vitro fertilisation- there have to be only e few of mother plants to receive a huge genetic variability. So you need to propagate from a few plants, take them in vivo, and some of the offspring plants will be able to adapt in the new habitat.
AntwortenLöschenI think also that the problem is not the genetic variability, because the orchids are propagated from seeds (generative) and it is not a vegetative propagation. But referring to the second part of your post, I agree with your opinion. If there is no change in thinkink about the consequences of changing habitats, it is not worth to have all this effort protecting orchid populations.
AntwortenLöschento all of you (Nadja, Fabio and Fabian):
AntwortenLöschenwell observed and commented. There is increasing understanding in ecology and some interrelations in biology.
Cheers
Hansruedi