Researchers have discovered in the Western Ghats (WG) 62 new species of plants that can withstand extreme dehydration. The newly discovered plants belong to the Desiccation-Tolerant (DT) Vascular Species that are capable of surviving amid extreme water scarcity. The species is known for entering a state of dormancy and reviving when water becomes available again.
A recent study by scientists from Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has identified these new species that are many more than the earlier known nine species. The research published in the Nordic Journal of Botany provides an overview of Indian DT plants, with a special focus on the WG, and includes an inventory of species with their habitat preferences. While 16 of the newly identified species are Indian endemic, 12 are exclusive to the biodiversity hotspot.
Biologists said that the newly discovered plants could have a wide-ranging role in agriculture, particularly in areas with shortage of water, as these plants can survive in harsh, arid environments that would be uninhabitable for most others. The findings of the study can also provide valuable insights into the biodiversity and ecology of the WG and aid in the conservation of DT plant species.
