Efforts in seeds preservation paid off on SW China's Yulong Snow Mountain

LIJIANG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden of Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is located in the Yulong Snow Mountain. With an elevation difference of about 1 kilometer, seeds could be conserved under favorable conditions in this area.

As the director of the botanic garden, Xu Kun specializes in plant resources and conservation biology. Recently, in the lab, Xu has observed that the seeds of Cypripedium flavum germinated three months ahead of schedule, which made him feel excited. This means that the following experiments could be carried out sooner. The seed germination conditions of endangered Cypripedium are usually strict, and there are few new seedlings each year. After years of research, Xu and his team have obtained the aseptic germination technique of seeds of 4 Cypripedium species, which contributed to the following production procedures.

Fan Zhongyu is a technician at Lijiang Alpine Botanical Garden. Currently, Fan and his team monitor the growth of plants in Yunshanping on a 25-hectare sample area on the east side of Yulong Snow Mountain. Every day, Fan gets up early and returns late to work in the mountains.

According to the introduction, the Lijiang Alpine Botanical Garden has more than 1000 native species. By far, more than 2000 alpine and subalpine species have been introduced to the park.

At present, seed bank, artificial climate chamber, high-standard greenhouse and tissue culture facilities have been established at the botanic park, creating a complete research system with functions of investigation, collection, conservation, research, development, production, etc.

A young fir is seen at Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Xu Kun checks the germination of the seeds of Cypripedium flavum at the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Xu Kun checks the growth of plants in a greenhouse at the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Fan Zhongyu (R) collects statistics at a sample area in Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Xu Kun sorts out plant specimens in his office in Yulong County, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 25, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Xu Kun carries out experiments at the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 28, 2024 shows the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden with the Yulong Snow Mountain, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Fan Zhongyu observes a fir at a sample area in Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

The germination of the seeds of Cypripedium flavum is seen at the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Xu Kun (L) and researcher Chen Xiaoling observe the germination of seeds at the Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Fan Zhongyu checks an equipment for collecting seeds at a sample area in Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)