Research on medicinal and aromatic plants was firstly introduced after the inclusion of the Department of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) in the Agricultural Research Center of North Greece (ARCNG), supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, in 1981 (PD 915/1981), aiming at the research on cultivation, breeding and technology of medicinal and aromatic Plants. It was integrated later in the National Agricultural Research Foundation (NAGREF), and since 2011 research objectives on MAPs are included in the research areas of IPGRB, HAO-DEMETER.
Research Activities
Our work focuses on agrotechnological issues and phytochemical analysis. Activities are carried out in the experimental field situated in the campus of the institute and in the Laboratory of Chemistry and Technology. More specifically, we are working on:
- Sustainable production of MAPs
- Agrotechnology: propagation and cultivation procedures and protocols, by applying organic agricultural practices
- Studies on domestication of wild MAP species
- Plant breeding and selection of improved genotypes regarding agronomic and qualitative traits (bioactive compounds), resistance to abiotic and biotic stress etc.
- Exploitation of native MAPs germplasm for low input farming
- Organic MAPs seed production
Screening of genetic- and chemo-diversity, using state-to-the art tools of genomics and metabolomics
Extraction and Analysis of bioactive compounds (essential oils, phenolics, flavonoids, etc) by instrumental analysis-Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC-MS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-DAD-FLD)
Ex situ preservation of native to Greece MAPs in ex situ field collection, maintained at the institute and experimental fields
For more info on this research area, please contact:
Dr. Paschalina Chatzopoulou, email: chatzopoulou@ipgrb.gr
Dr. Eirini Sarrou, email: esarroy@gmail.com
Lab members:
Helen Lalidou (Chemist), email: aromparc.ethiage@gmail.com
Kostas Velianis (Field technician)