Research Projects

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the living world and the communities formed by them. India is a mega diversity center with rich aquatic biodiversity, providing a sustained livelihood for many people. However, freshwater ecosystems face imminent losses due to a lack of adequate information on the distribution and status of aquatic species and threats they face. The Laterite plateaus in Northern Kerala are a unique ecosystem home to several endemic and endangered aquatic plants. The study aims to understand the threats faced by Crinum malabaricum Lekhak & S.R. Yadav and frame strategies for the successful conservation of this critically endangered aquatic plant. Crinum malabaricum is a large aquatic perennial plant endemic to the seasonal laterite plateaus in northern Kerala and is categorized under the critically endangered category according to IUCN criteria. The plant is known for its ornamental value, high therapeutic potential, and medicinally important compounds such as Galanthamine (GAL) and Lycorine. To conserve this species, appropriate conservation strategies are critical. This study implements novel biotechnological tools such as ecological niche modeling, phylogenetic analysis, and phenological studies to develop conservation strategies for the sustainable utilization and conservation of C. malabaricum. These tools help estimate the evolutionary relationships of the plant species, assess genetic variation, and understand the phenological events of the plant to identify the reasons for its endangered status. The study aims to achieve the conservation of C. malabaricum in in-situ and ex-situ conditions, and to understand its medicinally important alkaloids and propose a strategy for its sustainable utilization.