The Mediterranean: a cradle of the resurrection plants in Europe

• Autores: Dimitar L. Djilianov, Daniela P. Moyankova, Petko V. Mladenov
• Localización: Phytologia Balcanica: International Journal of Balkan Flora and Vegetation, ISSN 1310-7771, Vol. 22, Nº. 2, 2016, págs. 141-147
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The fast-growing human population on our planet and the need for improved quality of life leads to a growing demand in food and feed production. This is the main challenge facing the world agriculture. Furthermore, this increase should be gained from the constantly decreasing land areas subject to environmental changes.

    Since crops are fundamental to the food pyramid, they must be able to realize their potential even under unfavorable environmental conditions and particularly under drought.

    Sources of drought tolerance in many important crops are more or less limited or widely exploited. In this respect, the so called ‘resurrection plants” represent a very useful model of desiccation tolerance. Their vegetative parts are able to withstand long periods of almost complete water loss and to recover fast upon rewatering.

    The Mediterranean region – one of the biodiversity “hot spots” in the world – is the only area where the several species of resurrection plants in Europe have their habitats. All of them – Haberlea rhodopensis, Ramonda serbica, R. nathaliae, and R. myconi – belong to one and the same botanical family of Gesneriaceae.

    The present review is focused on the common and specific traits of these interesting species, with an emphasis on the potential use and potential risk for their biodiversity