62 newly discovered plants may help agricultural lands facing water crisis
A new study reveals 62 resilient plant species in India's western ghats that have high potential in agricultural and conservation applications
BS Web Team New Delhi A recent study conducted by scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) Pune has discovered 62 desiccation-tolerant vascular plant species in the western ghats that can thrive under harsh conditions and may have potential to help agricultural land with limited water resources.
The Ministry of Science and Technology reported on Wednesday that these plants possess the ability to endure extreme dehydration, losing up to 95 per cent of their water content and reviving themselves when water becomes available again.
This unique characteristic enables them to thrive in harsh and arid environments where most other plants cannot survive. The study highlights the potential applications of these desiccation-tolerant plants in agriculture, especially in areas facing water scarcity.
Image of Corallodiscus lanuginosus (Photo: PIB)
Desiccation-tolerant vascular (DT) plants have been relatively understudied in India, despite the prevalence of rock outcrops in the western ghats, added the report.
The study also reveals that tree trunks in partially shaded forests serve as crucial habitats for DT species, in addition to rock outcrops.
The research team employed field observations and estimation protocols to scrutinise the DT properties of the identified species. The study reports nine new genera of DT plants, including the first recorded epiphytic DT angiosperm species, Tripogon capillatus. It also provides field observation-based evidence of the DT properties of the gesneriad Corallodiscus lanuginosus, supported by a time-lapse video capturing its hydration process.
Mandar Datar and his team, in collaboration with Stefan Porembski from Rostock University Germany, have shed light on the biodiversity and ecology of the western ghats through this study.
The findings not only contribute to the conservation of DT plant species but also offer insights for developing drought-resistant crops that require less water.
Previously there were only nine known species. Now the inventory includes 16 species local to India and 12 exclusive to the western ghats, emphasising the region's global significance as a desiccation-tolerant hotspot.