Propagation of endangered plant species in IES’s climate control chamber
IES has developed a specially equipped climate control chamber for propagation of endangered medicinal and aromatic plants. The climate chamber helps to prepare the plants for further cultivation in organic farming.
There are several endangered plant species that happen to contain rare active compounds crucial for the production of specific pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Because of their limited population and high demand in the market, researchers are looking for non-violent plant propagation ways in laboratory conditions and further cultivation in organic farming.
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim.) in IES's experimental fields. Photo: IES
For more than a year, IES’s researchers have been testing various in
vitro propogation methods in the climate control chamber. The tests are
made on three endangered plant species – Siberian ginseng
(Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim.), common yew (Taxus baccata L.), and
sea holly (Eryngium maritimum L.). In this method, the plants are
propagated in plant tissue culture tubes. To develop this method, the
researchers went through various research stages – testing of different
seed germination approaches, seed and plantlet tissue cultures, as well
as adaptation of propagated plants to the field conditions.
Among the researched plants, sea holly showed the best results in plant
tissue culture experiments within the climate control chamber.
Therefore, IES’s researchers have started to test the growing of sea
holly in experimental fields. The results will clarify, if the
propagated sea holly is ready for cultivation in organic farming, thus,
also for commercial use. In the IES’s experimental fields, the impact of
various factors on growth of sea holly are tested. The tested factors
include distance between plant samples, the most suitable growing season
(spring, summer), various types of soil, plant grooming in field
conditions.
Sea holly (Eryngium maritimum L.) in IES's experimental fields. Photo: IES
Dr. Ieva Mežaka, IES’s leading researcher describing the first results of growing the propagated sea holly in field conditions:
"The
samples of the sea holly propagated in plant tissue cultures, already
showcase great results. More than 90% of plant samples grown in the
IES’s climate chamber can adapt to the field conditions. However, the
final results will be available just in Autumn 2022, after the first
yield. Then, in the laboratory of chemistry, our researchers will
analyse the chemical composition of the harvested sea holly. The
analysis will showcase what kind of and in which concentrations valuable
active compounds are present in the propagated sea holly."
Common yew (Taxus baccata L.) in IES's experimental fields. Photo: IES
In the upcoming seasons, other two researched species - Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim.) and common yew (Taxus baccata L.), also will experience the tests in IES’s experimental fields. Currently, the researchers are still looking for the most suitable propagation methods for them. So far, the results show that Siberian ginseng is struggling in plant tissue culture. For Siberian ginseng, the researchers have tested different propagation methods, such as using plant samples gained from seed and plant exchange programmes, botanical gardens, universities and private collections. However, these samples showed high plant infection risk in tissue culture. Clearly, the researchers need to find other Siberian ginseng sample gathering method. For instance, instead of using dried seeds use fresh ones. According to the previous researches, fresh samples have lower infection risk. IES’s researchers plan to gather fresh samples from Siberian ginseng grown in the IES’s experimental fields. They will be gained using traditional propagation methods – planting. For planting, IES gathered a small number of plant samples from plant nurseries.
As a result of this study, IES’s researchers plan to develop a technology prototype for propagation of endangered medicinal plants in plant tissue culture. Thus, helping to adapt them for commercial farming. Furthermore, the created technology can help to reduce the pressure on wild populations of endangered species, and ensure the supply of highly demanded materials for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food production industries.
Find out more about IES’s experiments on plant propagation using plant tissue culture here.
The research study "Research on plant tissue culture application for commercial propagation of endangered medicinal plants" is developed as a part of the European Regional Development Fund programme 1.1.1 "Improve research and innovation capacity and the ability of Latvian research institutions to attract external funding, by investing in human capital and infrastructure" 1.1.1.1. measure "Support for applied research", No.1.1.1.1/19/A/083.
More about the project here.