seedlings of Acer yangbiense
The Kunming Botanic Garden has successfully grown more than a thousand seedlings of Acer yangbiense, one of the most endangered plants, in Yunnan Province, making it possible for its off-site conservation and artificial restoration in nature.
Before the artificial breeding, Chinese scientists only found 4 Acer yangbiense trees in the wilderness, all in Yangbi County, Dali Prefecture in southwestern Yunnan.
Dr. Chen Yousheng, a researcher with the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), started the project of "On-site and Off-site Conservation of Most Endangered Acer yangbiense and Acer leipoense" with the support of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) in 2007. Chen obtained the seeds of Acer yangbiense through artificial pollination.
He moved the artificial breeding and off-site conservation to Kunming Botanic Garden, regarding the unfavourable climate in Beijing and the garden's capacity in conserving and breeding the plants.
Yin Qing, senior laboratory technician in the botanic garden then conducted a series of seed germination process at different levels and got the seed sprout. More than a thousand seedlings have been bred so far. The researchers will return the plants to nature and restore its species in the planning conservation district in Yunnan.
