Conservation of Hawaiian lobelioids : in vitro and molecular studies

Abstract

With over 25% of Hawai'i's Campanulaceae already extinct and many more on the verge of extinction, research in the propagation and the genetics of the remaining populations is greatly needed. In vitro propagation of 58 Hawaiian Campanulaceae species were attempted, through in vitro germination, organogenesis, or micropropagation. More than 80% of the species received as seeds were successfully germinated. No differences in germination rate or percentage was found between immature and mature seeds. Leaf explants produced viable shoots in 43% of the species, and 29% of wild-collected bud explants were successfully grown into plants. RAPDs was used to detect variability of the seedling populations of two bottlenecked species, Cyanea asarifolia St. John (original wild population of 15 plants) and Delissea undulata ssp. undulata Gaud. (original wild population of one plant). DNA was extracted from each species using small amounts of leaf tissue produced in vitro and used for the RAPDs studies. No detectable variation was found within these populations (indicating the impoverished remaining genetic information). The value of in vitro propagation and molecular studies of reduced populations is discussed.