Why Plant Cryopreservation Methods Are Important to Endangered Native Plants

Cryopreservation, a method of storing tissues in liquid nitrogen, is becoming increasingly important to rare plant conservation. This is because many plant species, including large groups such as oaks, orchids, and bryophytes, are unable to be stored long term using more traditional seed banking methods. Using cryopreservation techniques, researchers are able to preserve greater crop diversity and conserve more genetic resources for future generations. This video was created from interviews done by Joyce Maschinski with cryopreservation experts Daniel Ballesteros, Meera Das, Dave Ellis, Bart Panis, and Daniela Impe at the CRYO2019 conference.