Ex situ conservation of bryophytes and bryophyte germaplasm pool

Abstract

Bryophytes (i.e. mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are the second biggest group of the land plants. However, due to their tiny size and low economic values, they remain out of plant scientists and conservationists interest. With aim to develop better action plans for protection and conservation of these plants, we established germaplasm collection and propagation pool for 42 species of bryophytes from wide of Europe and Macaronesia. Among these species 4 are of wide European conservation interests: Anoectangium hornschuchianum (CR), Bartramia subulata (EN), Bruchia vogesiaca (VU), Ditrichum cornubicum (EN) and 6 are regionally endangered, endemic or rare species i.e. Breutelia azorica, Campylopus oerstedianus, Cyrtomnium hymenophylloides, Ditrichum plumbicola, Oreas martiana and Sphagnum palustre. Besides, counterparts of some other rare and endangered species are used as suitable model systems to test in vitro production and propagation of endangered counterparts/species: Dicranum scoparium/D. viride/D. transsylvanicum, Cinclidotus aquaticus/C. confertus, Entostodon obtusifolius/E. hungaricus, Herzogiella seligeri/H. turfacea, Plagiomnium rostratum/P.cuspidatu/P. drummondii and others. Germaplasm collection is used for active and passive species conservation and also as valuable bryophyte gene pool and reservoir for other fundamental and applied investigation.