Conservation and evaluation of genetic resources of medicinal plants

Abstract

The gene bank of medicinal and aromatic plants at the Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana (BFUNI) runs the conservation of genetic resources in situ, ex situ and in vitro. An inventory of populations density in natural habitats of medicinal plants is essential in in situ conservation, where locations are recorded using geographic coordinates, and collecting, environmental as well as species-specific descriptors are used in evaluation. The methodology of evaluation of natural populations of plant species and their habitats, based on the descriptor system is harmonized within the member states of ECPGR and SEEDNet. Based on the evaluation of field samples of medicinal and aromatic plants and processing of collected data by the information system MEDPLANT biodiversity among the populations of studied medicinal and aromatic plants will be presented, which will help end users and eventually breeders in the future. The fieldwork estimated incidence of 10 selected plant species: Achillea millefolium L. s. lat., Anthyllis vulneraria s. lat., Arnica montana L. - Protected (protection category - C, O) and vulnerable species (risk category - V), Artemisia absinthium L., Gentiana lutea L. s. lat. - Protected (protection category - C) and vulnerable species (risk category - V) (Official Gazette of RS 82/02, 46/04; 49/04; 110/04), Hypericum perforatum L. s. lat., Origanum vulgare L. s. lat., Ruta divaricata L., Salvia officinalis L. and Satureja montana L. s. lat.