Annual Report - IHBT

CSIR-IHBT Annual Report 2010-11Establishment of ferneryA fern house (500m 2 ) was established (Fig. 6) at the botanical garden of the institute for theconservation of pteridophytes. Around 100 species including some rare and economicallyimportant taxa collected from different locations of H.P. were introduced in the fernery. Speciesof Adiantum, Asplenium, Athyrium, Chielanthes, Coniogramma, Cyathea, Cyrtomium, Diplazium,Equisetum, Microsorum, Onychium, Osmunda, Polystichum, Pteris and Thelypteris were introduced.Fig. 6 Fernery at IHBTHeavy metal toleranceIn continuation to earlier studies, ferns growing on fly ash were analyzed for heavy metalaccumulation and subsequent metabolic adaptation to metal stress. Five fern species viz., Adiantumcapillus-veneris, Ampelopteris prolifera, Diplazium esculentum, Pteris vittata and Thelypteris dentata werecollected from the vicinity of fly ash. P. vittata, a hyper-accumulator of arsenic was the mosttolerant plant among the three tested species. P. cretica was more suitable than Diplazium maximumand Polystichum squarrosum in bioaccumulation and tolerance to Cr.In a separate activity on phytoremediation, three fern species viz., Pteris cretica, Polystichum squarrosumand Diplazium esculentum were found to be tolerant to Cr in a hydroponic experiment.Botanical gardenA botanical garden spreading over 3 acres was established for recreation and generation ofawareness among people on the importance of plants in human life and environment. A number9