Professor Taji said that the work undertaken by Jen Smith will develop approaches which will set in place strategies applicable to recovery of other rare Australian plant species. This involves examining the genetic diversity in the existing population using DNA technologies, production of callus, shoots etc under in vitro conditions and induction of mutation resulting in an increased diversity in the resultant plants. Such increase in diversity may result in successful seed set in this species. Dr Taji said. Dr Taji said she was approached three years ago by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to attempt a micropropagation of the endangered Hakea which resulted in production of a limited number of plants which are now growing in Agronomy and Soil Science glass houses and will be used as a basis for further experimentation in the present project.
Extinction is forever.