Nypa fruticans of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal, India - Its genetic diversity and an approach for conservation

Abstract

Sundarban Biosphere Reserve of India is a UN declared Natural Heritage. It is a wetland with unique mangrove vegetation. Nypa fruticans (Thunb.) Wurmb. (Arecaceae) is one of the threatened mangrove palms of this region. Since the population of Nypa is being rapidly reduced due to human interference, a conservation effort has been initiated. Ex situ conservation through creation of Nypa nursery is promising. Concomitantly, morphological, isozymic and molecular analyses were carried out with materials collected from eight locations of three islands. No inter- or intra population variation was detected from morphological, isozymic and molecular parameters. The clonal uniformity of all the Nypa individuals of various populations is probably the outcome of the unique colonizing nature of this palm through adventitious dichotomous branching.