Successful Micropropagation of critically endangered Thymus bovei Benth: a Wild Medicinal Plant Strictly Endemic to the Jordanian Environment

Refad Y.  ALKHAWALDAH; Rida A. SHIBLI; Reham W.  TAHTAMOUNI; Mohamad A.  SHATNAWI; Tamadour  AL-QUDAH; Tamara AL-QUDAH

doi:10.14720/aas.2025.121.3.18920

Authors

Refad Y. ALKHAWALDAH 1Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Rida A. SHIBLI Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Reham W. TAHTAMOUNI Department of Social and Applied Sciences, Princess Alia University College, Al-Balqa Applied University.
Mohamad A. SHATNAWI Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan
Tamadour AL-QUDAH Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan
Tamara AL-QUDAH Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14720/aas.2025.121.3.18920

Keywords:

Endangered Plant, Jordan, Medicinal Plant, Micropropagation, Tissue Culture, Thymus bovei

Abstract

Creeping Thyme, known as Thymus bovei or locally referred to as Zateer Barry, is a critically endangered native plant species in Jordan, renowned for its exceptional healing properties. This study aims to establish a reliable micropropagation technique to prevent T. bovei from extinction. The research focused on examining the establishment, shoot multiplication, rooting, callus induction, and acclimatization of T. bovei. Explants were established in half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) media with gibberellic acid (GA₃) at concentrations of 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L. The highest shooting percentage (90%) was recorded with 0.5 mg/L GA₃. Successful shoot multiplication was achieved by subculturing nodal segments onto half-strength MS media with kinetin (KIN), thidiazuron (TDZ), or benzylaminopurine (BA) at various concentrations plus 2.5 mg/L KIN and 0.5 mg/L GA₃. Rooting was most effective on half-strength MS media with 1.0 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), yielding an average of 5.29 roots per microshoot. The highest callus development, measured by fresh weight (0.601g), occurred in half-strength MS media with 2.0 mg/L 2,4-D, while no callus formed with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Acclimatized plants showed a 90% survival rate when transferred to greenhouse conditions.

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Author Biographies

Refad Y. ALKHAWALDAH, 1Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Rida A. SHIBLI, Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

Professor; Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Reham W. TAHTAMOUNI, Department of Social and Applied Sciences, Princess Alia University College, Al-Balqa Applied University.

Department of Social and Applied Sciences, Princess Alia University College
Mohamad A. SHATNAWI, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan
Tamadour AL-QUDAH, Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan

Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan
Tamara AL-QUDAH, Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

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