Madhuparna Hore1, Aninda Mandal2, Subikash Biswas1, Suvendu Dey1, Jayita Biswas1, Mithun Biswas1 and Sudha Gupta1*
1 Department of Botany, Pteridology and Palaeobotany Section, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
2 Departmentof Botany, A. B. N. Seal College, Cooch Behar 736101, West Bengal, India
Email: sudhaguptain@gmail.com
Received-30.12.2015, Revised-11.01.2016
Abstract: The vertical structures of live and total fern spore banks were studied during summer, rainy, and winter seasons in a semi-natural forest situated at Mankundu region (22.885877, 88.391903 and 22.848333, 88.342603) of Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. A reservoir of vertically distributed live fern spore bank (LFSB) is established in the region. However, not all the spores present in soil samples could retain their viability for germination to establish gametophytic generation and subsequently sporophyte formation. The best reservoirs are 0-5 cm soil depth in summer and rainy seasons; while, 5-10 cm in winter. The sporophytic plants developed from gametophytes through in vitro soil culturing have adapted successfully in natural environment, and fulfilled the objective for establishing fern conservation through natural soil spore bank study.
Keywords: Mankundu, Spore germination, Prothallial development, Sporophytic generation, Ex situ conservation
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