In vitro propagation of some lilium (lilium spp.) speci̇es

Turkey, with critical geographic position, geomorphic structure and a quite large diversity of habitats, is one of the very important gen centers in terms of biodiversity. It is indicated that there are 12.000 plant taxons in Turkey, 35 percent of them are endemic and among them approximately 1000 geophyte taxons are economically important. Although having such great genetic resources, there is no commercial ornamental plant variety which is bred from our natural plants. Even, continually collection of commercial wild species from the nature with unrestrained way cause dramatic diminish in their populations are from day to day.Global warming, increase in the constructions of groundwork and transportation and also energy demand of growing population, especially, last years, increase in energy and motor way construction projects, building of barrages, etc. cause difficulties in in-situ conservation of biological flora. So, ex-situ conservation becomes the only alternative solution.In this project; at least one population of very important 850 geophyte taxons of Turkish Flora will be identified and 10 plants for each taxons will be conserved ex-situ in the "Garden of Turkey's Geophytes" and also they will be exhibited at their active stage in the exhibition glasshouses. Also, in all geophyte taxons, DNA will be isolated and stored for future studies. All these activities will make important contibution for the registration of our genetic resourses. Additionaly, for the purposes of advertisement, education, publication and in order to chain our natural species, "Catalogue of Turkey's Geophytes" will be prepared.For the evaluation of our natural resources, a project supported by TUBITAK (105G068), realized succesfully between 2006-2009. In the frame of this project, Colchicum, Iris, Fritillaria, Hyacinthus, Lilium, Nectaroscordum, Polyganatum, Tulipa, Tchihatchewia species and some other dune plant species had been conserved in the collection gardens of respective institutes. In this proposed project; existing gen pools, species from other countries and standart varieties will be expanded, by using selection, mutation and hybridization techniques, new variety candidates will be developed. By considering the selection criteria, surveys of customer preferences, and necessities of ornamental plant sector, 183 variety candidates will be selected and molecularly characterized to be registered. By this way, this project will contribute to the addition of new varieties to the ornamental plant sector and also, especially, obtaining of new varieties from our endemics will increase the competitive strenght of Turkish ornamental plant producers all around the world.In the proposed project, phytochemical properties of the bulbous plant species entitled Fritillaria, Iris, Colchicum, Lilium, Hyacinthus, Tulipa species and Pancratium maritumum along with their biological importance will be examined in addition to their uses for ornamental purposes. Additionally, nine different geophyte species (Colchicum, Iris, Lilium, Fritillaria, Polyganatum, Nectaroscordum, Tulipa and Hyacinthus) will be characterized by molecular markers including AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism), three non-coding region (trnL-trnF) of chloroplast DNA genome and ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats). Species-specific SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) and EST-SSR (Expressed Sequence Tags-SSR) molecular marker technologies will also be used for the determination of distinctive DNA profiles for each species. All AFLP profilling and DNA sequencing analyses will be performed by using new generation fluorescent-based capillary electrophoresis system, GeXP GenomeLab Genetic Analysis System (by Beckman Coulter). In this way, all genomic variations, which may arise even from a single base difference and structural changes between species will be examined in detail. Obtained genetic information and DNA fingerprinting profiles from these analyses will make possible to identify these geophyte species at molecular level. Furthermore, these data will also provide the protection of national new species legally.As a result, this proposed project will be an example of multi disciplinary studies for conservation of Turkey's geophytes, developments of new varieties with our natural resources, molecular characterization of new varieties and determination of biological activities of the mentioned geophytes for their pharmacetical evaluation