Photo shows Nyidron observing plant samples in the laboratory.

Nyidron, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the director of the plant tissue culture research lab at the institute of plateau biology in Xizang Autonomous Region, has worked at the institute's plant tissue culture research lab since graduating in 1994. Over the years, she has taken on numerous tasks including field surveys, plant cultivation, seedling breeding, and reintroduction into the wild.

Stepping into the plant cultivation room, each seedling in the sterile culture bottles seems like Nyidron's "baby." When talking about these seedlings, her eyes are filled with passion: "These seedlings were collected and cultivated during field surveys. The Anoectochilus roxburghii is a national second-class protected plant." Speaking of this rare and endangered plant, Nyidron recalled a memorable experience, "One time, when passing through the Medog checkpoint in Nyingchi City, their staff immediately recognized the Anoectochilus roxburghii we were carrying and contacted the local forestry department to verify at once. At that moment, I felt particularly gratified that a checkpoint staff member could not only recognize them but was also so conscientious and responsible at work, which indicated that everyone's awareness of protecting rare plants had greatly improved." The research team has always followed the principle of standardization, prioritizing the collection of seeds over living plants, and making every effort to protect the precious species.

The germplasm bank of the institute of plateau biology in Xizang Autonomous Region bears the important task of in vitro preservation and artificial breeding of precious resources collected from the wild. "The biggest wish of we researchers is to successfully breed some endangered plants and reintroduce them into the wild," Nyidron said. Taking Anoectochilus roxburghii as an example, after successful breeding, it is now growing well and has a high survival rate under the care of science and technology commissioners in Gelin Village, Medog County.

Many plants have medicinal value. To reduce dependence on wild plants and avoid ecological damage caused by excessive collection in the wild, in 2014, Nyidron's team successfully bred Artemisia vestita and transferred the tissue culture technology to related enterprises. They also trained transfer personnel for the enterprises, which not only protected plant resources but also improved their production capacity.

"Biodiversity conservation is a long and arduous task that requires generations of people to strive," Nyidron said. As an NPC deputy and scientific researcher, she and her team will remain true to their original aspirations, do their utmost to preserve more species, and use scientific research results to provide valuable seedlings for local enterprises and production units, achieving a positive interaction between biodiversity conservation and local development.

Reporter: Tenzin Namse, Xue Ying

Translater: Luo Rongting, Liu Fang

Review: Dong Xiuli, Zhang Qi