Hellenic Agricultural Organization -DEMETER, General Directorate of Agricultural Research, Agricultural Research Center of Northern Greece, Laboratory of Conservation and Evaluation of the Native and Floricultural Species P.O. BOX 60125, GR - 57001Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece
Tel.: +30 2310 471 613, Fax: +30 2310 478907
maloupa@bbgk.gr / bbgk@bbgk.gr
EDUCATION Honors Degree in Agriculture, specialized in Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in 1980. MSc Degree in Plant Biology and Physiology by “Pierre et Marie Curie” University in 1982. PhD in Plant Biology and Physiology of “Pierre et Marie Curie” University in 1985. The thesis was entitled: «Recherches sur le Determinisme du Developpement du Weigela Bristol Ruby». RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Senior Researcher (from 1988) at the National Agricultural Research Foundation, responsible for the Laboratory of Conservation and Evaluation of the Native and Floricultural Species and the Balkan Botanic Garden Kroussia TEACHING EXPERIENCE Professor in the Master's degree programme (2008-present) of the School of Biology, Aristotle University entitled: ”Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Exploitation of Native Plants”. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES The research activities of the Laboratory for the Protection and Evaluation of Native and Floricultural Species (including the Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia, BBGK) are: a) the collection, conservation and evaluation of the Greek native flora with an emphasis on endemic, endangered, rare and commercially over-exploited species including aromatic/pharmaceutical plants, b) the development and optimisation of methodologies for the propagation (seeds, cuttings, in vitro tissue culture) and growth of plants in conservation programmes, c) the evaluation of native plants for use in floriculture, agriculture and landscaping (stress tolerant, low nutrient demand, no requirement for pesticides), d) growing techniques, protocols for cultivation of native aromatic, floricultural crops, soilless culture by using locally available materials (perlite, zeolite etc) e) the characterisation of phytogenetic resources with the use of molecular markers to examine the genetic relationships between species.
Abstract: Seed germination of two local Greek endemics was studied (Erysimum naxense, Erysimum krendlii). Seed viability was
determined by using the tetrazolium method and germination was studied in synchronized cycles of five and four alternating
temperatures [10/5 (for E. naxense only) and 15/10, 20/15, 25/20, and 30/25°C for both species, in cycles of 16 h day/8 h
night], and in five light regimes (red, blue, green, white, and dark). Germination of E. naxense and E. krendlii seeds was
determined daily for six and five weeks, respectively, with the data analyzed as viability adjusted accumulative seed germination
at the end of each week. E. naxenseâs seed viability was higher (90%) than that of E. krendlii (64%); seed germination (%) of
both increased at low alternating temperatures (10/5°C, 15/10°C, 20/15°C). Germination of E. naxense seeds at low temperatures
was light-independent, whereas at high temperatures it was increased with red light. Germination of E. krendlii seeds was
inconsistently affected by light at the temperatures studied. Percentages of seed germination of both species were higher in
experimental conditions similar to the ones of their natural habitats during autumn and/or spring (facilitated with Geographic
Information Systems). These conclusions provide guidelines for species-specific propagation protocols and ex situ conservation
Abstract: Abstract A Geographical Information Systems (GIS)-
facilitated approach for the in vitro propagation and ex situ
conservation of the conservation priority species Achillea
occulta is presented. To realize the speciesâ ecological
requirements, the coordinates of the original habitat were
linked with thematic layers derived from digital databases
in a GIS environment. From wild plants, shoot tips were
established in vitro in a basal medium with 4 lM 6-benzyladenine
(BA) and 0.5 lM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA).
A modified basal MS medium (modMS, double amount of
Fe) proved to be the most effective for in vitro adventitious
shoot production. The effect of BA in combination with
a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or IBA on shoot proliferation
was also tested. The highest number of new
microshoots/explant (3.5), with 0.93 cm shoot height was
obtained when the modMS was supplemented with 5 lM
BA and 2.5 lM IBA. To evaluate the root induction ability,
microshoots produced were transferred to modMS media
supplemented with 0â20 lM IBA and 0â20 lM NAA.
Rooting proved to be very difficult and only by adding
20 lM IBA, a 12.5% rooting percentage was achieved.
Acclimatization succeeded only during early spring. Young
plants transplanted at the Balkan Botanic Garden of
Kroussia produced flowers and seeds in the first year. This
GIS-approach provided useful guidelines for A. occultaâs
(a) effective propagation (selection of greenhouse temperatures,
temperatures during in vitro culture, suitable period
for cuttings and acclimatization of plantlets), and (b) ex
situ cultivation (selection of watering regime, temperatures,
locations and exposures for growing sites).
Abstract: The Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia (BBGK) is dedicated to the ex situ
conservation of native plants of Greece and the Balkans. The BBGK has formulated a
conservation strategy for the collection of wild plant material for propagation, prioritizing
mainly the endemic, rare, endangered, threatened and vulnerable plants of Europe found in
different regions of Greece. Its aim is to contribute to the implementation of Target 8 of the
Global and European Strategies for Plant Conservation at local, regional and international
scales. In order to (i) define the ecological profile of the in situ requirements preferred and/or
tolerated by each selected species, (ii) develop rapid and effective species-specific propagation
protocols, and (iii) improve the cultivation of species of conservation concern in
BBGKâs nurseries and ex situ conservation sections, geographical coordinates and in situ
collection data obtained for each taxon were imported into a Geographic Information System
environment (GIS). This information was then linked with several digital GIS thematic
layers, including topographic, geological, edaphic, climatic, precipitation and temperature
data derived from digital databases. Based on this approach, sexual and asexual propagation
of plants from the Ionian Islands were conducted and rapid and effective baseline protocols
were developed for 29 taxa (species and subspecies); four are presented here in detail and
species-specific ex situ propagation and cultivation guidelines are given. Most of the taxa
originating from the Ionian Islands were propagated by cuttings (55.2%) or seeds (34.5%),
while the rest were propagated by root division at a rate from 1.7 to 2. The first round of
propagation achieved a success rate ranging from 15 to 50% for 3 taxa, from 60 to 80% for 8
taxa and from more than 80 to 100% for 16 taxa, while the ex situ cultivation of the wild and
propagated plant material has, so far, been successful. The application of GIS exemplified
here presents a sensible and invaluable tool with a broad-scale potential in enhancing the
prospects of the ex situ conservation of priority species collected from diverse environmental
conditions in man-made habitats such as botanic gardens.
Abstract: Since 2007, the European Commission
AGRI GEN RES 018 ââCROCUSBANKââ action has
permitted the creation of the alleged World Saffron
and Crocus Collection (WSCC), a unique collection
which contains a representation of the genetic
variability present in saffron crop and wild relatives
at global scale. At present the germplasm collection,
housed at the Bank of Plant Germplasm of Cuenca
(BGV-CU, Spain), consists of 572 preserved accessions
representing 47 different Crocus species
(including saffron Crocus) and is expected to increase
up to more than 600 accessions by the end of
CROCUSBANK action (May 2011). The preserved
biodiversity of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) covers a
wide range of the genetic variability of the crop and currently consists of 220 accessions from 15 countries:
169 of these come from European cultivation
countries, 18 from commercial areas in non EU
countries, 26 from regions of minimal or relict
production and/or from abandoned fields and 7 from
commercial nurseries. The non-saffron Crocus collection
currently comprises 352 accessions: 179
collected from the wild in 12 countries of natural
distribution, 24 from donations of public and private
institutions, 91 from commercial nurseries and 58
acquired from BGV-CU collection management.
Here we provide a record of collections, activities
concerns and current strategies for documentation,
conservation, characterisation, and management of
the collection as important tools for researchers with
interest in these valuable genetic resources.
Abstract: In this paper the profile of the Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia (BBGK) is outlined and basic
illustrations are provided. Τhe location, establishment, facilities, organization and staff of BBGK,
as well as the topography, soils and climate of its grounds, are presented. The plant conservation
targets and policies formulated by BBGK in order to fulfil its mission are also described.
This includes eight different complementary policies. These are the Only Native Plants Policy,
Important Plant Species (IPS) Policy, Explicit Plant Documentation Policy, Propagation of the IPS
First Policy, DNA Barcoding Policy, Combined ex situ and in situ Conservation Policy, Evaluation
for Sustainable Exploitation Policy and the Environmental Awareness on Native Plants Policy. The
living native plant collections of the BBGK are presented quantitatively and the number of plant
sections and displays designed in the BBGK and in the newly established Garden of Environmental
Awareness are described. BBGKâs mission is to support research, maintenance, propagation, evaluation,
conservation and sustainable use of the native plants of Greece and the Balkans, combined
with raising public awareness of the environment.
Abstract: The composition of the inflorescence (I), leaf (L) and stem (S) essential oils of wild Mentha pulegium plants from
three populations (1-3) on the island of Zakynthos were examined. Pulegone (32.8 %, S1 to 75.8 %, I3) was the major
constituent of all of the oils. The other main constituents were piperitenone (5.1 %, L3 to 35 %, I2), isomenthone
(4.3 %, I2 to 28.6 %, L3) and piperitone (0.5 %, I3 to 5.2 %, L2). In total, C-3-oxygenated p-menthane compounds
constituted from 73.0 % (S1) to 96.2 % (I2) of the oils. The piperitenone content of the inflorescence oils was up to
2.4 (Loc 3) times higher than that of the leaf oils. Correspondingly, the isomenthone content of the leaf oils was up
to 4.2 (Loc 2) times higher than that of the inflorescence oils. The ratio of the isomenthone:piperitenone content of
the oils (n=3) was markedly different for the inflorescence (mean 0.31 ±SD 0.21 ), leaf (mean 2.91 ± SD 2.37) and
stem (mean 1.12 ± SD 0.68) oils. The essential oil yields (mL /100g DW) were for the inflorescences 3.1-5.0 %, leaves
3.1-4.0 %, stems <0.1-0.1% and whole plant (aerial parts) 2.4-3.9 % and are among the highest oil yields reported to
date in Greece for M. pulegium.
