Use of an original express method for complex diagnostics of the state and objective morphometric assessment of virginal plants of the Crimean rockrose (Cistus tauricus C. Presl.) in greenhouse culture ex situ

Crimean frankincense (Cistus tauricus C. Presl.) belongs to the group of especially valuable essential oil species. Its qualities allowed in due time to include the plant into culture and to obtain perfumery and medicinal preparations in the Crimean industry in volumes allowing to satisfy the demands of mass production. The negative consequence of the use of natural raw materials of frankincense was the depletion of natural populations, which threatened the disappearance of this species from the natural ecosystems. In order to avoid negative consequences of the use of the species, its industrial exploitation was prohibited and the species was included in the Red Book of the Republic of Crimea. Nevertheless, the demand for raw materials of frankincense remains relevant. The use of foreign hybrids in the culture of the Southern Coast of Crimea (SCC) has shown their incompatibility with the local climate conditions. Only Crimean frankincense is adapted to the climate of the Southern Coast of Crimea, which actualises the need for its reintroduction into culture. In 2023, after a 50-year hiatus, the FSFIS "NBG-NSC" resumed work on the introduction of technically valuable essential-oil species of Cistus tauricus into ex situ culture. The most promising specimens for further research were selected from the array of cultivated plants. The continuation of this work was the use of the original express-method for diagnostics and assessment of the vital state of experimental specimens. The conducted work indicates the prospectivity of further studies on introduction of Cistus tauricus into culture, propagation, breeding and obtaining of highly productive and resistant to local climate hybrids.

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