Question

Plant genes of endangered species are stored in

• A. Gene library
• B. Gene bank
• C. Herbarium
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B Gene bank

Gene banks are a type of biorepository, which preserve genetic material. For plants, this could be by freezing, cuttings from the plant, or stocking the seeds (e.g., in a seedbank).

For animals, this is the freezing of sperm and eggs in zoological freezers until further need.

With corals, fragments are taken, which are stored in water tanks under controlled conditions. Plant genetic material in a 'gene bank' is preserved at $-{196}^{0}C$ in liquid nitrogen as mature seed (dry).

In plants, it is possible to unfreeze the material and propagate it, however, in animals, a living female is required for artificial insemination. While it is often difficult to utilize frozen animal sperm and eggs, there are many examples of it being done successfully.