Conservation by Propagation

Conservation through micropropagation
History
The most recent threat to our three genera in the UK was the arrival of a rapidly spreading disease – Phytophthora ramorum – which can particularly affect ornamental rhododendrons and eventually kill them. 
The South West of England was seriously impacted and this is where some of our most important collections of rhododendrons are to be found. This called for quick action both to eradicate the disease and to save the collections.
Luckily, the research facility at the Duchy College at Rosewarne is also in the South West, and thanks to external funding a rescue programme was set up there utilising a procedure known as micropropagation. 
Licences were granted to use diseased plant material and a major conservation effort was launched. The speed of this initiative, together with the innovative work of Ros Smith, ensured that over 300 unique rhododendrons were saved.

Technique
The basic process involves stimulating plant cells (taken from fully developed floral buds) to develop into tiny growing shoots which can be grown on and eventually weaned towards independence, ready to be planted out.

Today
With Phytophthora ramorum mostly under control, external funding ceased but the conservation work of the laboratory goes on, now focussed on conservation of varieties threatened by other risks or made vulnerable through their rarity, often uniqueness. This is where the Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia Group has stepped in to help. 

Thanks to the vision and commitment of John Harsant, in 2008 the Group embarked on a project to help preserve the ageing collection of Aberconway hybrids at Bodnant Gardens. With our financial support, twelve of its threatened rhododendrons were selected and micropropagated, and the famous ‘Penjerrick Walk’ re-established using the same technique. 
Since that time, we have continued to support the Duchy College Laboratory in its efforts, through regular donations. We have developed an excellent working relationship with the team there, now led by Dr Naomi Beddoe with Ros Smith semi-retired but almost always in the lab!

Through supporting micropropagation we:

• are enabling gardens to conserve their threatened rhododendrons and reinstate their collections
• are establishing new collections in other gardens 
• have safeguarded rare species such as Rhododendron vesiculiferum KW9485
• are facilitating the reintroduction into the wild of threatened species –  a nearly extinct Rhododendron species from Portugal, for example
• have ensured threatened rhododendron hybrids are successfully propagated, returned to their place of origin and duplicate plants distributed to other gardens through our ‘safety in numbers’ policy
• are restoring ‘lost’ rhododendrons to the UK through the import of plant material from overseas collections
  are funding further research into micropropagation techniques – successfully micropropagating camellias, for example, has so far eluded the scientists and our support might make the difference