Why in news? New study discovers 62 desiccation-tolerant vascular plant species in India’s Western Ghats, with potential applications in agriculture & conservation.

What are Desiccation-tolerant vascular (DT) plants?

• Plants which
  • Withstand extreme dehydration
  • Revive with availability of water , even if they lose 95% of their water content
  • Survive in harsh, arid environments that would be uninhabitable for most other plants
• Studied for their possible applications in agriculture, particularly in areas with limited water resources
• Predominant occupants of rock outcrops