What are Gene Sanctuaries ? How do they protect the genetic diversity of plants in India ?

Question

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Gene sanctuaries are protected natural sites where wild relatives and landraces of crops are conserved in situ, letting them keep evolving under natural selection. They preserve adaptive traits breeders need for climate-resilient crops and complement NBPGR's gene banks, as the citrus sanctuary at Nokrek in Meghalaya shows.

**Introduction**

Gene sanctuaries are key in situ conservation sites preserving plant genetic diversity within natural habitats, supporting sustainable agriculture, food security, and biodiversity in India. They allow evolutionary processes to continue, complementing ex situ methods like gene banks.

**Institutional Framework and Capacity**

1. **Legal and Policy Support**: India’s Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and institutions like NBPGR enable gene sanctuaries, exemplified by the citrus gene sanctuary in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills under the Man and Biosphere Reserve programme. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also plays a pivotal role in policy formulation and implementation.

2. **Community Involvement**: ==Women seed-guardians in Meghalaya preserve 57 heirloom seed varieties⟦1⟧==, highlighting local stewardship in agrobiodiversity conservation. Institutional mechanisms increasingly recognize and incentivize such community roles, linking conservation with livelihoods and traditional knowledge.

**Implementation Challenges and Conservation Outcomes**

3. **Integration with Protected Areas**: Gene sanctuaries often overlap with protected areas like ==Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in Meghalaya==, conserving wild crop relatives and supporting ecosystem health. This integration helps protect genetic diversity within broader ecological contexts.

4. **Management Challenges**: Resource constraints and land-use pressures, such as in ==Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalaseema drought belt==, limit sanctuary effectiveness. Challenges include habitat protection, controlling human interference, and managing biotic threats. Nonetheless, sanctuaries have successfully safeguarded medicinal and horticultural diversity vital for local economies.

**Way Forward**

5. **Strengthen Coordination and Funding**: Enhance collaboration among central, state, and community actors, especially in ==Andhra Pradesh==, to improve sanctuary management with adequate technical support and monitoring.

**Conclusion**

Gene sanctuaries, supported by robust policy frameworks and active community participation, are essential for conserving India’s rich plant genetic heritage amid environmental and developmental challenges.

What are Gene Sanctuaries ? How do they protect the genetic diversity of plants in India ?

Model answer

Practise this question

Biotechnology & Nanotechnology: scope, ethics, genetic engineering, biodiversity, fermentation, immuno-diagnosis50 questions

Ghissu