A walk through Tissue Culture Avenue at St. Aloysius College in Mangaluru is a revelation. The avenue has endangered trees created from tissue culture. Over 100 trees have been produced by tissue culture at Dr Kupper’s biotechnology lab in St. Aloysius College.

“These trees form an important lung space on Light House Hill,” Fr Leo D’Souza, director of the lab said. “Research students use biotechnology to clone endangered species, some of which are hyper endemic. I vividly remember the day we planted the first cloned cashew sapling in the world in 1989.”

Tissue Culture Avenue is at Mother Teresa Peace Park and is a haven for collegians doing last-minute preparation and revision. With the fast-approaching festive season, youngsters are also rehearsing carols. Ashwin, a student who was hanging out with his friends, was overwhelmed on learning of the history of the avenue. He hugged the 50-foot-matchwood tree saying, “I never knew you were here.”

Smitha Hegde, a researcher and former associate professor said the matchwood tree (scientific name ailanthus) was planted 26 years ago. In an article in the golden jubilee souvenir of the St. Aloysius Evening College, she writes how Fr D’Souza motivated students to clone endemic trees of the Western Ghats including the Flame of the Forest.

The millingtonia hortensis (akasha mallige) creates a carpet of white, fragrant flowers every morning. Students enjoy studying under this tree. Smitha describes the gnetum ula as a “living fossil. The tree has conical bunches of flowers. It grows on other trees.”

The trees have plates with the names of the researchers and students who have contributed to the development of the tree. These are painted regularly to motivate the students and researchers to keep up the good work.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style / by M Raghuram / December 25th, 2017