Yeonggwang-gun Develops Propagation Technology for Endangered Plant Species Level 2 'Jinnorangsangsahwa'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeon Seong] Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kim Jun-seong) announced on the 10th that it is promoting the development of tissue culture propagation technology for Lycoris chinensis Traub var. sinuolata, a level 2 endangered plant species designated by the Ministry of Environment.

Tissue culture involves taking a part or cells of the plant tissue and cultivating and propagating them in an artificial environment. It is a technology that mass-produces plants with excellent quality but weak reproductive ability. Its greatest advantages are efficient use of space, production of disease-free plants, and rapid mass propagation.

Lycoris chinensis is known to grow only in very limited areas such as the foothills or valleys within mountain areas around Bulgapsa Temple. It is a rare species, and its population has significantly decreased due to difficulties in artificial propagation.

The Agricultural Technology Center plans to develop tissue culture technology for mass propagation of Lycoris chinensis by establishing a tissue culture room (74㎡) and an acclimatization room (26㎡), and obtaining permission from the Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office as a storage institution for endangered wild species.

Furthermore, the county aims to identify acclimatization conditions to improve the reproductive ability of the endangered Lycoris chinensis and strengthen the county brand as a major habitat for Lycoris through restoration of its natural habitat.

The person in charge of tissue culture said, “Not only securing the population of the level 2 endangered plant Lycoris chinensis through artificial propagation by tissue culture but also restoring its natural habitat to develop it as a tourism resource will differentiate us from neighboring cities and counties, and the effect is expected to exceed expectations.”

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