Objective:
Sideritis sp. are among the most overhavested in Greece and many wild populations are threatened. It is used for the preparation of herbal tea, known as Mountain tea which is widely consumed due to its properties known from folk medicine. The traditional use of 4 Sideritis sp. has been adopted by HMPC in a herbal monograph (1) and several studies have been reported on its pharmacological properties. The overharvesting has put a pressure onto its populations. The MOUNTEA-CONSE project (2) aimed at the development of conservation and sustainable exploitation activities for Sideritis populations.
Context:
The development of conservation strategies are crucial for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of overharvested and endangered Medicinal Aromatic Plants. By introducing the most demanded species into cultivation, the pressure on natural populations is eliminating and the efficient supply of raw material is assured. However, this process is quite demanding due to the unique features and requirements of each species. Optimization of agricultural practices and selection of biological efficient genotypes are among the major research objectives for the successful domestication of MAPs.
Contacts:
Dr. Paschalina Chatzopoulou, chatzopoulou@ipgrb.gr, https://ipgrb.gr/