Center for Plant Conservation

The Center for Plant Conservation will conduct research that leverages the rare plant seed collections stored in the California Plant Rescue network to inform better curation of small collections. Propagation of existing collections to increase seed quantities for curation, or seed augmentation, is an important practice that helps curators limit deterioration of genetic diversity within collections. This project will address the lack of specific guidelines for undertaking this work. In collaboration with seven members of the California Plant Rescue network, the team will use experimental propagation of 15 rare plant species to familiarize horticulturists with the specific needs of propagation for curation, generate plant production data by maternal lines, and use genomic sequencing to examine genetic diversity metrics for two of these species. The results will be shared through the Center’s Best Practices for Small Seed Curation guidelines and more broadly through its network. This project will result in professional development and practice improvement opportunities for horticulturists both in and out of the California Plant Rescue network.