DNA Barcoding, GIS-Facilitated Seed Germination and Pilot Cultivation of Teucrium luteum subsp. gabesianum (Lamiaceae), a Tunisian Local Endemic with Potential Medicinal and Ornamental Value

Abstract

In the context of plant conservation and sustainable use of unique neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources, this study focused on the Tunisian local endemic Teucrium luteum subsp. gabesianum (Lamiaceae). Using Geographical Information Systems and online databases, detailed taxon-specific ecological profiling was produced for the first time, which illustrated the temperature and climate conditions in its wild habitats and facilitated the investigation of how temperature affects its seed germination, thus making its cultivation in anthropogenic environments possible. Following the seed propagation first reported herein (77.5–81.25% at temperatures between 15 and 25 °C), species-specific in situ and ex situ conservation efforts or sustainable exploitation strategies can be enabled. This study also reported for the first time how chemical and integrated nutrient management (INM) fertilizers affect the growth and pilot cultivation of its seedlings (INM more advantageous). The firstly-reported herein DNA barcoding may enable its traceability, allowing future product design. The multidisciplinary approach followed has paved the way to bridge important research gaps hindering conservation efforts and/or the sustainable exploitation of this local Tunisian endemic plant to date. Based on the aforementioned results, the feasibility and readiness timescale for its sustainable exploitation was overviewed and re-evaluated herein, upgrading (>two-fold) its potential value for the medicinal-cosmetic, agro-alimentary, and ornamental-horticultural sectors.

Influence of Temperature on Seed Germination of Five Wild-Growing Tulipa Species of Greece Associated with Their Ecological Profiles: Implications for Conservation and Cultivation

“…to be introduced as new cultivated crops [ 3 ], focus should be given to the study of the abiotic factors prevailing in their natural habitats. Itis particularly important to conceive a proxy of species-specific tolerance in terms of temperature and climatic conditions regarding future cultivation for ex situ conservation purposes or in the frame of sustainable exploitation strategies [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. To this end, either GIS-derived [ 21 , 22 ] or R-derived species-specific ecological profiles [ 25 , 26 ] can be employed to generate the necessary information concerning the range of abiotic factors prevailing in the natural habitats of these bulbous species, thus facilitating their seed dormancy break and germination, pilot ex situ cultivation, and in situ reintroduction actions to enhance declining wild-growing populations [ 25 , 27 ].…”

Prioritizing Plants around the Cross-Border Area of Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia: Integrated Conservation Actions and Sustainable Exploitation Potential

“…Apart from the limited knowledge concerning the biological cycle of conservation important plants, severe knowledge gaps exist to date regarding the species-specific propagation and ex-situ cultivation of most of them. Such gaps can usually be bridged with targeted applied research efforts serving both conservation needs and/or sustainable exploitation strategies (e.g., [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]71,72]). To date, propagation for conservation and/or commercial purposes has been implemented in a plethora of taxa (e.g., [29,[73][74][75], but only for a very small part of the cross-border priority plants dealt herein (e.g., [42]).…”

“…In general, in-situ plant biodiversity conservation should be undoubtedly supported by ex-situ actions involving seedbank storage and different propagation trials allowing for future reintroduction and/or population reinforcement of targeted species [18][19][20]. However, there are severe knowledge gaps regarding the biological cycle and the speciesspecific propagation and ex-situ cultivation of most of the conservation important plants such as local endemics of small geographical areas (e.g., [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]). Previous studies on sexual reproduction via seeds of several conservation priority plants have focused on the conditions of favourable seed germination, thus proposing seed propagation protocols (e.g., [20,[24][25][26][30][31][32]).…”

“…However, there are severe knowledge gaps regarding the biological cycle and the speciesspecific propagation and ex-situ cultivation of most of the conservation important plants such as local endemics of small geographical areas (e.g., [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]). Previous studies on sexual reproduction via seeds of several conservation priority plants have focused on the conditions of favourable seed germination, thus proposing seed propagation protocols (e.g., [20,[24][25][26][30][31][32]). However, seeds of many species may present either physical or physiological dormancy [33], and in such cases a plethora of stratification and pre-treatment regimes have been proposed in the literature to overcome this [34][35][36][37].…”

Documenting Greek Indigenous Germplasm of Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) for Sustainable Utilization: Molecular Authentication, Asexual Propagation, and Phytochemical Evaluation

“…To support classical taxonomic identification and to enable the establishment of a distinct genetic identity, molecular authentication can be performed through novel DNA barcoding and bioinformatic analysis methods in selected plant materials collected from natural habitats [ 30 ]. DNA barcoding as a tool for molecular authentication of plant germplasm has been greatly developed and to date is being widely used for many medicinal plant species and phytogenetic resources [ 6 , 10 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. There are also reports of DNA barcodes being successfully used in identification of ancient DNA (aDNA) of C. mas from fossils [ 36 ].…”