DomesticationDomestication ofof aa traditionaltraditional EuropeanEuropean medicinalmedicinal plantplant –– exampleexample ofof AlchemillaAlchemilla alpinaalpina aggagg .. At our starting point there was a public campaign against wild collected Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and ; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Genus Family

A. alpina agg. A. vulgaris agg . Ecological indiactors and plant communities Habitat = Alpine meadows

Seslerietalia (Blue Sesleria grass) Nardion (Mat-grass) Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Collection sites Alchemilla alpina agg . – an aggregate of different species During collection of accessions

we learned the reason for that unpleasant quality often claimed by quality control Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies production Very special conditions for germination

Snow cover is pre-requisite Alchemilla alpina Propagation M ethods Comparison

5 0 46 4 5 crop output failures of plants 4 0

3 5

3 0

2 5

2 0

15 10 10 5 4,9 5

0 dividing of roots seed propagation Comparison of propagation methods

Dividing of roots = 46% failures

Seedlings = 10 % failures In-vitro propagation Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Phytochemical variability

Cultivar R Cultivar E Wild coll.

Front

Start Alchemilla alpina Tannin Content (after Glasl)

3,5

3

2,5

2

1,5 Tannin [% ]

1

0,5

0 Wild collected 1 Wild collected 2 Cultivar 12 Cultivar Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Inbreed necrosis Erwinia infection Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Progress in cultivation

1997 (3rd year) 1999 2000 2001 Screening of harvesting techniques Development of a special harvesting technology for field crop of low growing plants The solution: Multiplying of simple lawn-mower Domestication strategy

1. Studies of the natural habitat: botany, soil, climate, growing, natural distribution and propagation 2. Collection of the wildly grown plants and seeds; establishment of a collection; phytochemical investigation (screening) 3. Plant propagation: vegetatively or by seeds, plantlet cultivation; (biotechnology: in vitro propagation) 4. Genetic improvement: variability, selection, breeding; phytochemical investigation, biotechnology (in vitro techniques) 5. Cultivation treatments: growing site, fertilisation, crop maintenance, cultivation techniques 6. Phytosanitary problems: pests, diseases 7. Duration of the cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling (technical processes, solar energy); phytochemical control of the crop produced 8. Economic evaluation and calculation

C. FRANZ, B. MICHEL. Concerted Action AIR3-CT-94-2076, 1995 - 1996 Final report Volume IV Case studies Field cultivation

2001 2002

3rd year Just planted

2nd year Alchemilla alpina - Spacing test Second Year

30 28,4 40x40 352 g crude herbal material/qm, weeding by maschine possible 20x20 625 g crude herbal material/qm, weeding only by h and 25

20 17,4

15 13,2 11,8

10

6,7

5

0 0 1st cut 2nd cut 3rd cut Tryal with cultivation on plastic film to evaluate expenditure of hand labour in ecologic farming Improved quality pays

Wild collected

cultivated Main reason for starting the domestication project

 Purity of crude medicinal herb  Variability of contents  Introduction to organic cultivation

Obstacles

 Germination rate  Propagation procedure  Harvesting Domestication of Alchemilla alpina was time consuming

Collection of accessions Eco - geographical data

Cultivation method

10 years Harvesting techique

Propagation Project Participants

Stekly Günter

Schneider Ernst

Rödel Gerhard

Gidekel Manuel INIA Carillanca Temuco, Chile

Brunner Peter Index Salus Ltda Villarrica, Chile Franke Rudolf Project publications

Schneider E., Stekly G., Brunner P. Domestikation von Bergfrauenmantel (Alchemilla alpina agg.) Zeitschrift für Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzen 4:134 -140(1999)

Stekly G, Rödel G, Eberlein H, Dallinger J, Schneider E, Franke R. Entwicklung eines Erntegerätes für Kulturen von Bergfrauenmantel Poster, Fachtagung Heil- und Gewürzpflanzen, 12.-15.11.2001, Bad Neuenahr- Ahrweiler

Stekly G, Rödel G, Eberlein H, Dallinger J, Schneider E, Franke R. Entwicklung eines Erntegerätes für Kulturen von Bergfrauenmantel (Alchemilla alpina agg.) Zeitschrift für Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzen 7-Sonderausgabe:203-207(2002) Thank you for your attention

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