Iran Creates Network to Protect Genetic, Biological Resources
“Due to different ecosystems and climatic conditions, Iran has different genetic and biological resources and in many cases unique, and it can be said that no country in the world has this climate and distribution in the field of genetic and biological resources,” said Razeqi.
“In 15 years of its activity, the National Center for Genetic and Biological Resources of Iran has been able to set up biobanks in four areas of plants, human and animal cells, microorganisms and DNA and genomic data while collecting, identifying, producing and storing them according to its missions,” he added.
“We have created a network to protect the genetic and biological resources of Iran,” Razeqi said.
In a relevant development in February, researchers at the Plant Bank of the National Center for Genetic and Biological Resources of Iran introduced 6 new species of saffron of the country.
“Apart from cultivated saffron species, there are 23 other species of this genus in Iran, of which 18 species are exclusive to Iran and 5 other species have limited distribution,” said Alireza Dolatyari, a faculty member of the National Center for Genetic and Biological Resources of Iran.
Noting that the 5 species are distributed only in Iran and the neighboring countries, he said, “Over 30 days of fieldwork and cooperation with international experts and a fundamental review of the botanical status of the species of this genus in Iran was carried out.”
“As a result of the plan, 6 new species of this genus were introduced to the world from Iran,” Dolatyari said.
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