DomesticationDomestication ofof aa traditionaltraditional EuropeanEuropean medicinalmedicinal plantplant –– exampleexample ofof AlchemillaAlchemilla alpinaalpina aggagg .. At our starting point there was a public campaign against wild collected plants 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 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 Alchemilla Family Rosaceae 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 Seed 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 1 Cultivar 2 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 hand 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