JG-B. In the Bulgarian in vitro collection, a dry sterilization of seeds was applied for a first time for Gesneriaceae family. The micropropagation and conservation of Ramonda seeds and plantlets were similar in Albanian and Bulgarian collections. The plantlets in vitro as an explant material were developed in JG-B medium with different phytohormones. The direct organogenesis of two Ramonda species is very similar models. The method of conservation in vitro with minimal growth method (modification of nutrient medium) was used. Meiosis and mitosis examinations of the natural populations and plantlets cultivated in vitro were carried out by standard Squash method. Cytogenetical study of natural populations showed polyploid forms as a mixture (2n=72) and (2n=96). Mitosis preparations in plantlets in vitro showed a predominance of the most frequent form (2n=96). The biodiversity in interspecific level of the natural populations of Ramonda serbica of Central Albania, R. nathaliae from Macedonia and cultivated plantlets in vitro from Albania and Bulgaria was evaluated via molecular markers (RAPDs

Ramonda serbica Panč. is a rare species, Balkan endemic and tertiary relict, included in the European list of rare, in danger of extinction and endemic plants. It is also included in the Bulgarian list of endangered plants. In Bulgaria, this species has not been cultivated in vitro with the aim of conservation and investigation of the natural population. For this purpose, at the Plant Biotechnology laboratory at the University of Plovdiv we started the establishment of a live collection of in vitro Ramonda serbica Panč. This is accomplished through an in vitro system for regeneration and propagation, modified by our research group. The live collection of in vitro Ramonda serbica plants will be a donor for conservation and reintroduction of adapted in vitro plants in their natural endangered habitats and also for physiological studies of drough tolerance, and multidisciplinary comparative analyses.

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Citation: Daskalova E, Dontcheva S, Yahoubian G, Minkov I, Toneva V (2011) A strategy for conservation and investigation of the protected resurection plant Haberlea rhodopensis Friv. BioRisk 6: 41-60. doi: 10.3897/biorisk.6.1568 AbstractRepresentatives of the resurrection plants from Gesneriaceae family are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria, in the European Register of rare, endangered, and endemic plants, and are subjects of world's conventions on the preservation of the biodiversity. The unique feature of these plants to recover from prolonged dehydration (anabiosis) is explored in numerous studies. These species are also Tertiary relics, so they could give us important knowledge about plant evolution.Our research group at the University of Plovdiv has established a national in vitro gene bank for Haberlea rhodopensis Friv. (25 localities) and Ramonda serbica Panc. (2 localities) from Bulgaria. The national gene bank is based on original and modified in vitro technologies and can serve as a conservation and biodiversity investigation center for the family Gesneriaceae.Basing on our work with Haberlea rhodopensis Friv., we are developing a strategy for conservation and investigation of rare and relic plant species (mapping and exploration of habitats -assessing the local risk of extinction -introducing in an in vitro gene bank -model plants for research -adaptation and possible reintroduction in endangered habitats). This strategy can be adapted and used for conservation and investigation of other rare, protected, relic and endemic plants from other regions of Europe and worldwide.

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