Saint Joseph University (USJ)
Laboratory for Seed Germination and Conservation and 'Jouzour Loubnan' Seed Bank
Country: Lebanon | Region: Beirut
Saint Joseph University (USJ) is one of oldest universities in Lebanon. It was founded in 1875 by Jesuits to become the first Francophone university in the Middle Eastern region.
The Laboratory for Seed Germination and Conservation (LSGC) was created in 2009 by “Jouzour Loubnan” NGO tackling forest ecosystem restoration issues in Lebanon, within the premises of Saint Joseph University.
The LSGC activities are supported by the Faculty of Sciences of Saint Joseph University and by the NGO “Jouzour Loubnan” and has played a major role in Lebanon.
The laboratory was innovated in 2015 as to meet the requirements of a seed bank. It now includes all the facilities and equipment needed to perform its duties: from desiccation room for freshly collected seeds to the final conservation room passing by cleaning facilities and growth chambers.
Until present, the seed bank conserves more than 26 000 000 seeds for 100 different taxa with around 370 accessions from all over the country. This collection focused on endemic species and tree species used on ecosystem restoration. Optimized germination protocols are made available to the public through the www.Lebanon-flora.org website. The LSCG is headed by Prof. Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat, Vice President of Jouzour Loubnan and Professor at the Faculty of Science of Saint Joseph University. The LSGC carries both fundamental and applied research activities related to ecosystem restoration.
Contact
Magda Bou Dagher Kharrat, boudagher@fs.usj.edu.lb
Université Saint-Joseph, Rue de Damas, BP 17-5208 Mar Mikhaël, Beyrouth 1104-2020, Lebanon
Tél: +961 1 421 382
Website
USJ Faculty of Science: http://www.fs.usj.edu.lb/
Jouzour Loubnan: http://www.jouzourloubnan.org/