Status of medicinal and aromatic plants in - Inia

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WORKING GROUP ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS: FIRST MEETING
Conservation of medicinal and aromatic plant genetic resources in Slovenia
Dea Baričevič 1 , Alenka Zupančič 1 , Anita Železnik-Kušar 1 and Janko Rode 2
1 University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2 Institute for Hop Research and Brewing, Žalec, Slovenia
Introduction
In 1996, the Slovenian Fund for nature conservation ratified the Resolution on conservation
of biological diversity and permanent landscape development, including medicinal and
aromatic plants (MAPs). In order to ensure genepools for future investigations, the
genebank, a national genebank collection of medicinal and aromatic plants containing
650 indigenous or foreign/introduced MAP accessions, was established in 1994, officially
recognized in 1995 and is annually supported by the Slovenian government. The
programme on MAP conservation in Slovenia involves activities at different conservation
levels (ex situ, in situ and on-farm) as well as morphological and chemical evaluation of MAP
accessions held in the MAP genebank (Salvia officinalis L., Origanum vulgare L., Gentiana
lutea L., Thymus vulgaris L., etc.) (Baričevič 1997a, 1997b; Baričevič et al. 1997; Rode et al. 1998).
Ex situ conservation and evaluation
Maintenance of germplasm as seed, in vitro and in vivo collections and seed propagation for
cultivation purposes (Cynara scolymus L., Gentiana lutea L., Salvia officinalis L., Origanum
vulgare L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Melissa officinalis L., Hyssopus officinalis L., Thymus
vulgaris L., Satureja montana L.) are the main activities of the Slovenian MAP genebank.
Because of the high morphological and chemical variability in MAPs, in vitro culture
techniques have been applied for practical purposes, so the screening for optimal in vitro
conditions (considering multiplication rate, morphological uniformity and low-cost input)
has been considered. The micropropagation of MAPs has been recognized as an essential
tool in obtaining uniform descendants in cross-pollinating species, in species with poor or
slow germination as well as in virus-infected plant material. The evaluation of MAP
accessions, which regularly accompanies the routine maintenance work, can be divided into
three research categories:
- Evaluation of morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of MAPs (Origanum
vulgare L. subsp. vulgare, Origanum L. subsp. vulgare hirtum, Gentiana lutea L. subsp.
symphyandra) (Zupančič and Baričevič 2002);
- Evaluation of MAP ecotypes for quantitative and qualitative differences in secondary
metabolites with regard to growth and development and/or biological activity (Filipič
and Baričevič 1997, 1998; Bolta et al. 2000; Baričevič et al. 2001a, 2001b; Zupančič et al. 2001;
Zupančič and Baričevič 2002);
- Evaluation of susceptibility of descendants to environmental stress (drought, low
temperature, depleted soils, etc.) in pot trials in a controlled environment (Baričevič 1995;
Baričevič et al. 1999; Železnik et al. 2002; Železnik and Baričevič 2002).
In situ conservation
Slovene botanists have made an inventory of the Slovenian flora (not exclusively MAPs)
throughout the last decade. The inventory is intended to provide the basis for conservation
of the remaining natural resources of rare and/or endangered species. The result of this
intensive research was "The Red Data List of Threatened Vascular Plants in Slovenia"
(Wraber and Skoberne 1989) upheld by the Institute for the Conservation of Natural and
Cultural Heritage of Slovenia. This document is based on IUCN categories and results from