GIS-Facilitated Effective Propagation Protocols of the Endangered Local Endemic of Crete Carlina diae (Rech. f.) Meusel and A. Kástner (Asteraceae): Serving Ex Situ Conservation Needs and Its Future Sustainable Utilization as an Ornamental

Abstract

Conservation and sustainable exploitation of threatened endemic plants with medicinal and/or horticultural/ornamental value can be achieved through the development of effective propagation protocols. After unveiling the bioclimatic preferences of Carlina diae (Asteraceae) with geographic information systems (GIS), four propagation trials were conducted using seeds of this endangered local Cretan endemic for in vivo and in vitro germination, as well as seasonal vegetative propagation trials (softwood cuttings) and micropropagation (nodal explants). Seed germination was accomplished at a level of 77–90% in vivo (30 days) and 96% in vitro (10 days) using an MS medium with 2.9 μM gibberellic acid (GA3). The optimum treatments for cuttings’ rooting were 1000 and 2000 ppm indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (11–16 roots, 2–3 cm long, 100% rooting) within 40 days in mist. In vitro shoot propagation exhibited a 2.8 proliferation rate after six successive subcultures on an MS medium with 2.9 μM GA3. Both ex vitro rooting and acclimatization were successful in 40 days, with 96% microshoot rooting and an equal survival rate. The GIS-facilitated effective species-specific propagation protocols developed in this study can consolidate the perspective of successful re-introduction of ex situ-raised material of C. diae into wild habitats and may serve its sustainable exploitation for high-added value ornamental products.

Agro-Alimentary Potential of the Neglected and Underutilized Local Endemic Plants of Crete (Greece), Rif-Mediterranean Coast of Morocco and Tunisia: Perspectives and Challenges

“…Previous studies report that the unsustainable collection and trade directly from wild plant populations, when coupled with absence of knowledge on ex-situ conservation of propagation materials, may considerably decrease the availability of local phytogenetic resources, and this detrimental effect can lead in turn to increased prices of plant products [ 23 , 24 ]. Unfortunately, many plant materials, especially aromatic-medicinal plants and wild edible greens are still gathered in an unsustainable way; they are purchased directly from the wild as raw materials and are channelled for industrial use [ 21 ].…”

“…Typically, the criteria adopted for conservation prioritization involve aspects of the geographic distribution, endemism, and the threats affecting each evaluated taxon [ 19 , 20 ], including harvesting from the wild. However, to date, some thousands of medicinal-aromatic plants, as well as the vast majority of the wild edible greens, are still collected directly from the wild [ 21 ], depleting their natural potential. In Mediterranean areas, the possibility of first genotypic selection, targeted and/or improved pilot cultivation, and new processing techniques for specific applications gives the NUPs the potential to be used as a valuable novel resource [ 16 ].…”

Greek Tulips: Worldwide Electronic Trade over the Internet, Global Ex Situ Conservation and Current Sustainable Exploitation Challenges

“…In this framework, the research project TULIPS.GR aims to establish for the first time in Greece a national collection for all Greek tulips that will document and explore their diversity ( Figure 5 ), enabling all the necessary conditions for the creation of a sustainable tulip value chain. The integrated approach that is followed includes well-documented and authorized collections of wild material, mycorrhizal diversity of wild tulips, and sustainable ex situ conservation schemes, production of well-documented and DNA barcoded propagation material through species-specific propagation and cultivation protocols, e.g., [ 22 , 23 ], foliar diagnostics and soil/nutrient analyses, field studies in different areas, utilization of innovative precision fertilizers, and postharvest investigation of fresh cut flowers, involving networking and synergies with relevant producers and associations in Greece and beyond.…”

“…Furthermore, BGs and SBs often house in man-made environments several socioeconomically important plants from around the globe. Therefore, they may be considered as sources of valuable donor material and species-specific propagation and cultivation know-how, activating considerable opportunities for the sustainable exploitation of phytogenetic resources in the short-term, medium-term or long-term [ 12 , 22 , 23 ]. This applies to major crop plants, including widely appreciated ornamentals such as tulips, but also to neglected and underutilized plants such as local endemics confined to specific regions [ 12 , 22 ].…”

“…In general, the domestication of wild-growing plants with interesting properties associated with plant rarity or endemism (uniqueness) has been extremely appreciated by the ornamental-horticultural sector, since the latter is always in quest of and sourcing for unique new crops with attractive features [ 6 , 22 , 24 ]. In this context, tulips are famous ornamental plants worldwide since the Middle Ages [ 11 , 24 ], and currently in Europe they are associated with a turnover of about half a billion euros yearly with increasing trends [ 24 ].…”