Poster Presentation International Plant Molecular Biology Conference 2024

  Dracaena ombet in peril: A call for attention and action (#67)

Daniel Hagos Berhe 1
  1. Adigrat University, Adigrat, TIGRAY, Ethiopia

Dracaena ombet Heuglin Ex Kotschy and Peyr is one of the Dracaena species found in east Africa. It is a flagship species of the Afromontane areas and an important part of desert ecosystems: providing substantial socio-economic, cultural and ecologic values in dryland areas. Yet, despite its importance, D. ombet is experiencing continuous decline throughout its range. D. ombet is categorized as endangered on the IUCN Red List of threaten species. The population decline is mainly attributed to overgrazing, over-cutting and human over-exploitation, severe drought, disease and attack by pathogens and pests. An endangered species is on the top of conservation priorities; immediate conservation actions are urgently needed to halt the population decline and prevent the species extinction in the wild. Unfortunately, the conservation D. ombet is hindered by many factors. Considering the drastic population decline and local extinctions of D. ombet, micropropagation offers opportunities for the rescue and conservation of endangered plant species. It facilitates conservation and large-scale production and allows plant reintroduction. Furthermore, micropropagation may be an essential step to obtain plants from frozen collections of D. ombet plant material, the most valuable way of preserving such genus. In a recent in vitro propagation study, D. ombet successfully achieved 95% survival rate. Therefore, to sustain species populations, cryopreservation, epigenetics and genome sequencing should be the focus of future research. Additionally, introduction of alternative livelihoods options and the preservation of the species’ seeds in gene banks is crucial to ensure their long-term conservation.