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Sep 07 2019 - 09:00

MART Sala Conferenze

Seed Banks, a Safety Reserve Against Extinction

Costantino Bonomi

Costantino Bonomi

Seeds can be considered the survival capsules of plants. They contain a dormant embryo that has acquired the ability to withstand drying out and can survive under conditions that are typically not compatible with life. By harnessing this innate capacity of seeds, banks extend the lifespan of seeds to several thousand years. This creates a living library capable of reviving species that may unfortunately go extinct. It's somewhat like a life insurance policy, protecting us in case of an accident...

Costantino Bonomi is a botanist specializing in the conservation of plant diversity, having studied in the UK in 2000. Since 2008, he has been in charge of the Botanical Section at MUSE, overseeing the two botanical gardens, the tropical greenhouse, and the herbarium.