DOI: 10.54207/bsmps1000-2026-tt62jl ISSN: 0971-9431

Integration of ex-situ multiplication approaches with in-situ conservation of Gentiana kurroo through reintroduction and recovery programmes: a critically endangered and endemic species of the Western Himalaya

Giriraj Panwar, Puneet Kumar, Aakriti Bhandari, Amber Srivastava, Ashiho Mao
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Gentiana kurroo Royle (Gentianaceae) is a critically endangered, highly medicinal, and endemic species of the Western Himalaya, with a restricted distribution in India, Pakistan and Nepal. This study focuses on ex-situ mass propagation and in-situ conservation through reintroduction under a species recovery initiative. Macropropagation was achieved via seed germination and vegetative division of the tufted rhizomes, while micropropagation was carried out through axillary bud proliferation in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. In vitro raised plantlets were successfully acclimatized in a glasshouse and subsequently transferred to the open environment, achieving an 83% survival rate. Under the reintroduction program, propagated plantlets were introduced into three wild habitats in the Chakrata and Mussoorie Forest Divisions of Uttarakhand, with 44% survival after six months. The study demonstrates the successful integration of ex-situ propagation with in-situ conservation, providing a viable approach for germplasm preservation and addressing the increasing medicinal demand for G. kurroo.

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