Indian Orchidology

Indian Orchidology : prospects and conservation

Restrictions imposed on the commercial collection of orchids for medicinal and horticultural purposes have resulted in their illegal gathering from natural habitats. Although work on micropropagation using various explants in India is substantial, most of these studies have limited utility. The plants raised by tissue culture in most cases have not been reintroduced to nature because of logistics and requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Folk medicine is one of the major contributors to loss of viable orchid populations through overharvesting. Although an abundance of literature on ethnobotany is available on Indian orchids , preparations from orchid taxa need to be scientifically evaluated for effectiveness. Capacity building through skill enhancement in orchid biology, micropropagation, and nursery cultivation is imperative to boost conservation efforts. Most importantly, critical knowledge of reproductive strategies of most threatened orchids is insufficient. Information on threats, habitat ecology, and population dynamics is also unavailable for the majority of the species. Accordingly, the development of conservation policies is difficult. If pertinent measures are not taken for the protection of orchids, many of them may soon become extinct in nature. For example, Spathoglottis arunachalensis Tsering & Prasad , a recently described orchid (Tsering & Prasad, 2020) is not seen any more in the wild, as anthropogenic activities have disturbed its habitat. Many such examples are reminders that ex situ and in situ conservation measures are a necessity to preserve these plants. The National Orchidarium housed in Shillong ( Meghalaya), the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary in Tipi ( Arunachal Pradesh), and the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Trivandrum ( Kerala) have become the largest repositories of live orchids in India , and need to be developed as a focal point for the accumulation of a live gene bank of Indian orchids . In lieu of sustainable research, it is imperative that collection and accession of live specimens be promoted instead of herbarium or fixed specimens which are destructive in nature, at least in cases of threatened species. Botanical gardens, orchidaria and sanctuaries can provide accession numbers for such live collections to researchers. This will not only promote research on numerous fundamental aspects, but also can help in the maintenance of a gene pool, to act as a bank for micropropagation, and to serve as reliable repositories for re-introducing species that have disappeared from wild.

Despite having large number of herbarium specimens in various regional institutions/ herbaria, very few have been/ are being digitized in India . Besides, physical access to these specimens is also marred by red tape. To maintain academic and research growth, institutions with rich herbaria should make provisions for loaning/ exchange of specimens, both within and outside the country. It is crucial to understand that conservation of biodiversity can be facilitated through access of genetic resources and collaboration in research.