Myrtaceae in Australia: Use of Cryobiotechnologies for the Conservation of a Significant Plant Family under Threat

Abstract

The Myrtaceae is a very large and diverse family containing a number of economically and ecologically valuable species. In Australia, the family contains approximately 1700 species from 70 genera and is structurally and floristically dominant in many diverse ecosystems. In addition to threats from habitat fragmentation and increasing rates of natural disasters, infection by myrtle rust caused by Austropuccinia psidii is of significant concern to Australian Myrtaceae species. Repeated infections of new growth have caused host death and suppressed host populations by preventing seed set. Although most Myrtaceae species demonstrate orthodox seed storage behavior, exceptional species such as those with desiccation sensitive seed or from myrtle rust-suppressed populations require alternate conservation strategies such as those offered by cryobiotechnology. Targeting seven key Australian genera, we reviewed the available literature for examples of cryobiotechnology utilized for conservation of Myrtaceae. While there were only limited examples of successful cryopreservation for a few genera in this family, successful cryopreservation of both shoot tips and embryonic axes suggest that cryobiotechnology provides a viable alternative for the conservation of exceptional species and a potential safe storage method for the many Myrtaceae species under threat from A. psidii.

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic and Physiological Analyses Reveal the Mechanisms of Dehydration and Cryopreservation Tolerance of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. Seeds

“…An important reason was that the water content in biological cells was relatively high; freezing occurs during the cooling process, causing damage and destruction to the cell structure, eventually leading to cell death [81]. Due to the sensitivity to dehydration, the water content of non-orthodox seeds was reduced to a safe threshold to survive freezing damage, which was a key factor before the safe cryopreservation [82][83][84].…”

Novel and emerging seed science research from early to middle career researchers at the Australasian Seed Science Conference, 2021

“…Fungal pathogens including myrtle rust (caused by Austropuccinia psidii), are posing large risks and threats to native species. In relation to these threats, optimal banking/cryopreservation procedures developed by EMCRs such as Lyndle Hardstaff may be the only way to save keystone as well as threatened plant species from the brink of extinction (Hardstaff et al 2022). Climate change remains one of our most significant challenges to date, therefore knowledge and novel analyses of wild species' adaptations in seed traits in the past, may help us predict their adaptive capacity in the future (Ooi 2012;Everingham et al 2021).…”

Larvicidal and Fungicidal Activity of the Leaf Essential Oil of Five Myrtaceae Species

“…The Myrtaceae family is one of the most diverse and abundant botanical families on the planet, [1,2] with over 6000 species distributed across 140 genera and occurring throughout the equatorial region, including South America, Asia, and Australia [3,4] . In Brazil, there are approximately 29 genera, including native and introduced species [5] .…”

“…The Myrtaceae family is one of the most diverse and abundant botanical families on the planet, [1,2] with over 6000 species distributed across 140 genera and occurring throughout the equatorial region, including South America, Asia, and Australia. [3,4] In Brazil, there are approximately 29 genera, including native and introduced species. [5] The most common genera are Eugenia, Eucalyptus, Myrcia, Syzygium, and Psidium, which are of high economic importance due to their edible fruits and relevance in the timber, ornamental, and biotechnological industries.…”