The initiation of sternbergia colchiciflora (amaryllidaceae) in tissue culture
Authors: Ghereg Melania , Chiorchina Nina , Tabăra Maria , Ghendov Veaceslav 
Published: November 2024

One of the most threatened groups of higher vascular plants is the family Amaryllida-ceae. This family includes worldwide about 1100 species from 85 genera, which occur mostly in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. It also represents one of the largest gro-ups of ornamental bulbiferous plants that are used in landscape design, particularly in stone and rock gardens. They are of high ornamental value, being used in ﬂoral arrangements, as cut ﬂowers and as potted plants for interior design, on balconies and terraces [2]. The genus Sternbergia belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae, all species in this family contain highly toxic alkaloids: tazettine, lycorine, belladine, galantamine, etc., which are known to have antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antileukemic and immunostimulating pro-perties [4]. The species of this genus are also of great interest as ornamental plants due to their attractive golden-yellow or white colors (only in Sternbergia candida B. Mathew et T. Baytop), which usually bloom in early spring and autumn. Sternbergia colchiciﬂora Waldst. et Kit. is a critically endangered species, in the Re-public of Moldova, it grows in the adjacent area of Merenii Noi commune (Anenii Noi d.), Copanca commune (Causeni), Ciumai village (Taraclia) and Valeni commune (Cahul), the species is at the northern limit of its range. Abroad, it occurs in Southern Europe and the Caucasus. It is found in glades of downy oak forests and on hills with steppe vegetation. Quantitatively, it grows solitarily or in groups of 3-7 specimens, forming small clumps. The populations are in danger because of the aﬀorestation of steppe sectors. Limiting factors are caused by extreme conditions at the boundary of its range, cultivation of primary steppe sectors, overgrazing. It is a perennial geophyte, ephemeral plant. The fruits and leaves de-velop in spring; the fruits ripen in April [1]. In summer, the species is inactive, surviving as a bulb. The ﬂowering period is extremely short, lasting for 2-3 weeks, in August-September (depending on the amount of atmospheric precipitation). It can be used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. It is protected by law in the Republic of Moldova, included in the lists of the CITES Convention and in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova, (3rd edition). Sternbergia colchiciﬂora can be propagated by seeds and bulbs. However, the growth of plants from seed takes ﬁve or more years from seed to the development of a plant capable of producing ﬂowers. Besides, the ability to form bulbs is low. The reproduction rate is not satisfactory because, 1-2 bulbs are produced per year, and because they are harvested to be used in the pharmaceutical industry and are planted for decorative purposes, there has been a signiﬁcant reduction of populations in natural habitats [5]. Recently, scientiﬁc progress has been characterized by the use of biotechnology in the multiplication and conservation of en-dangered plants. This study was aimed at obtaining material of Sternbergia colchiciﬂora by tissue culture for its subsequent multiplication and obtaining a large number of bulbs.