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Restoration and Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources via Molecular Techniques: An Important Measure for Sustainable Agriculture

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Agro-biodiversity and Agri-ecosystem Management

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Abstract

The importance of biodiversity for our planet and mankind has arisen strongly over the past years which gave birth to the field of conservation and restoration biology. Agrobiodiversity is focused on food and nutritional security by implementation of novel approaches to achieve sustainable ecosystem. All current tools and techniques of biotechnological interventions aid in exploring and developing conservation strategies, rescue methods and its restoration. Some of the conservation techniques are in situ, ex situ and on-farm along with genome study of cultivars with full characterization and identification of molecular markers. The molecular marker technology for the development of gene banks of the threatened and rare species is imperative to restore the genetic erosion. The molecular method for characterization confers the identification of genotype and thus detecting variation at genetic or DNA level and thereby barring any environmental factors. The systematic approach for identification of agrobiodiversity hotspots is essential for in situ conservation. The study emphasizing the ecological dynamics to mitigate the loss of biodiversity in the protected areas is required to be strengthened. The amendments of policies for regulation of the food availability and security through sustainable agricultural practices can play a pivotal role in management of the agrobiodiversity. Human race evolved where domestication of any plant species led in such a way that can satisfy human necessity in the form of food (fat, protein macro-/micronutrients), animal feed and medicinal requirements, and hence propagation of horticultural, aromatic and medicinal plants was disseminated by farmers. Therefore, biotechnological tools such as micropropagation, protoplast culture, development of DNA bank facility, DNA-based marker identification and cryopreservation should be applied for the conservation and improvement of the plant species. There are some molecular approaches like molecular marker identification along with sequencing and molecular library formation which are big innovations for present species preservation techniques. This can prompt the acknowledgement of new units for protection, regardless of whether they be raised to the situation with recently isolated species or characterized as exceptional subsets of more boundless species. These techniques are explained in this chapter with their advantages in species preservations. Overexploitation can lead to extinction of species. It’s our duty to conserve agrobiodiversity for future generations. Molecular approaches in conservation of various plants species will be discussed in this chapter with an objective of restoration of plant genetic resources for sustainable agriculture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Plant Biotechnology Research Lab, Centre for Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, U.P., India

    Susmita Shukla, Ritupriya Singh, Ritambhara Bhutani & Ayushi Tripathi

  2. Biotech Consortium India Limited, New Delhi, India

    Shiv Kant Shukla

Authors
  1. Susmita Shukla
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  2. Ritupriya Singh
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  3. Ritambhara Bhutani
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  4. Ayushi Tripathi
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  5. Shiv Kant Shukla
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Correspondence to Susmita Shukla .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, India

    Pavan Kumar

  2. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, India

    R. S. Tomar

  3. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, India

    Jahangeer A. Bhat

  4. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, India

    Manmohan Dobriyal

  5. Department of Geography, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India

    Meenu Rani

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Shukla, S., Singh, R., Bhutani, R., Tripathi, A., Shukla, S.K. (2022). Restoration and Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources via Molecular Techniques: An Important Measure for Sustainable Agriculture. In: Kumar, P., Tomar, R.S., Bhat, J.A., Dobriyal, M., Rani, M. (eds) Agro-biodiversity and Agri-ecosystem Management. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0928-3_12

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