Plant Cryopreservation: A Practical Guide

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Author : Barbara M. Reed

Published in : Springer

ISBN : 978-0-387-72276-4

File Type : pdf

File Size : 7 mb

Language : English

Description

The alarming loss of plant biodiversity both in nature and within agricultural systems has led the plant biology community to look for alternatives to in situ conservation. Although cryopreservation by itself is not a panacea for the global loss of biodiversity, it is a useful tool for long-term maintenance of select plant germplasm. The development of plant cryopreservation techniques for cell cultures in 1968 has led us now, 40 years later, to the stage where cryopreservation of organized tissues is a reality. I came to the field of cryobiology through the need to conserve crop germplasm for future generations. At the time I began the field was still young and the techniques were being applied mostly to unorganized tissues and cells. The first applications of cryopreservation to organized tissues by Dr. Kutty Kartha and Dr. Akira Sakai showed the promise of the technique for the storage of plant diversity. With this encouragement I started toward my goal of storing the unique and invaluable plant germplasm at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, Oregon. I started my studies with the initial guidance of Dr. Bernard Finkle and picked up tips along the way from Dr. Lyndsey Withers, Dr. Akira Sakai and Dr. Jean Dereuddre.