Traditional uses of medicinal plants in South-Western part of Lithuania

Changes in people's dependence on the resources of the immediate natural environment and in the ways in which information is transmitted may result in the loss of some of the traditional knowledge of plants and their uses. In order to investigate and preserve this knowledge, a comprehensive ethnobotanical study was carried out in a little-studied ethnographic region. Knowledge about the plants used for treatment was collected through open-ended and semi-structured interviews in villages and small rural settlements in southwestern Lithuania. In total, 30 informants reported 103 plant and 1 lichen species. Although the survey was carried out in a small area, up to five local names per species were recorded. The most frequently used species were Matricaria chamomilla, Tilia cordata, Artemisia absinthium and Plantago major. The largest number of plant species was used to treat digestive and respiratory system disorders. Wild plants were mentioned in 71.0% of all use reports, while a relatively higher proportion of cultivated plants was recorded among the new uses. Decoction and infusion were the most commonly used, while some unusual preparations have been recorded in past uses. Research showed that the diversity of plant species used for healing has declined over the last 20 years and that part of traditional ethnobotanical knowledge is disappearing.

Vaistinių ir aromatinių augalų sėklinių (genetinių) sklypų įvertinimo Lietuvoje metodinės gairės

The aim of the study is to discuss and establish tentative guidelines for the original selection and evaluation of genetic sites for in situ conservation of medicinal and aromatic plant genetic resources in Lithuania and provide baseline recommendations for their management and monitoring. The methodology applied is largely based on the one used in crop wild relative conservation in situ. Three groups of criteria, including species, site and threat assessment, are used on a 5-point evaluation scale to evaluate genetic sites, with ‘5’ representing the highest quality or state and ‘1’ representing the lowest quality or state. Top ten criteria are selected out of more than twenty those discussed for the application in genetic site evaluation. Four of these pertain to target species: species number and cover abundance (20% weight), number of red-listed species (10%), number of cultivated/ CWR species (10%), distinctive properties of populations (10%); two to site: area size (5%), protected area status (15%); and four to threat assessment: open site overgrowth with woody plant species (5%), mechanical damage of soil surface (5%), abundance of invasive non-native species (10%) and abundance of problematic native species (10%). Then, a weighted summing up is made to get an overall evaluation of a genetic site. For long-term conservation only sites scored not less than three points on average are recommended. An interpretation of final evaluation scores is also provided. Baseline recommendations for genetic site management focus on intervention measures, while those for monitoring - on periodicity of evaluation and some organizational aspects of implementation

Development of a methodology for maintenance of medicinal plant genetic reserve sites: A case study for Lithuania

In the context of climate change, in situ conservation of plant genetic resources is becoming increasingly important as it supports natural (ecological and evolutionary) adaptations of plants to the changing environment. The aim of this study was to synthesize a comprehensive general methodology for the maintenance of genetic reserve sites of medicinal plants based on the analysis of relevant legal documents, literature sources, databases, and authors' own experience. A methodology was developed for the application of various maintenance measures for target species populations in genetic reserve sites to ensure their long-term sustainability. It uses a systematic approach to the intervention measures by grouping them into habitat-specific and factor-specific ones, and follows the specific principles of biodiversity conservation, such as the concept of ecosystem, priority of in situ conservation, caution and validity of decision-making, and regional approach. An extensive discussion on major intervention measures is provided. The methodology is intended to be used as a tool for the preparation and implementation of management plans of individual medicinal plant genetic reserve sites by the responsible agencies and protected area managers and is directly linked to the implementation of the EU (European Union) Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 at the national level

Sėklinių sklypų tinklo sukūrimas lietuvos vaistinių ir aromatinių augalų genetinių išteklių išsaugojimui in-situ

Twenty six seed (genetic) sites were established for long-term in-situ conservation of medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) genetic resources in Lithuania over the period 2006–2017. The sites vary in size from 0.4 to 38.0 ha with an average of 7.2 ha. Most of the sites (73%) occur in the existing protected areas. They represent 10 of 22 physical geographical areas of Lithuania and accommodate 120 priority MAP species, which is about 89% of the national priority list. Prioritization of MAP species was based on the monographs of European Pharmacopoeia, European Medicines Agency, World Health Organization as well as German Phytotherapeutic Monographs and other regional and national medicinal plant references. A concept was followed of the dual function and perception of food as medicine, and, vice versa, an approach based on a co-evolutionary relationship between human food and medicine. It was established that only 46 priority species, or 34% of the national priority list, were represented by five and more populations, which is considered as minimum for long-term in-situ conservation. The future conservation planning efforts should focus on at least 15 unrepresented species, 49 species represented at 1–2 sites each and 25 species represented at 3–4 sites each. The MAP site network should expand by covering preferably the remaining 12 physical geographical areas of the country

On the Prospects of In Situ Conservation of Medicinal- and Aromatic-Plant Genetic Resources at Ancient-Hillfort Sites: A Case Study from Lithuania

Twenty-three ancient-hillfort sites were investigated to evaluate the potential for the in situ conservation of medicinal- and aromatic-plant populations. An evaluation of the site’s suitability was carried out by employing three major groups of criteria: species-specific, site-specific, and threat assessment. The species-specific criteria included the total species number, target species number, the cover-abundance of the target species estimated by mean Braun–Blanquet score, and, as an additional criterion, the number and cover-abundance of crop wild relatives. The site-specific criteria included site evaluation with respect to climatic region, the area size of a site, the habitat type, and the site’s protection status. The threat assessment was focused on anthropogenic activities, such as recreational, agricultural, and others. The total number of vascular plant species inventoried was 264, including 82 species of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP). There was a strong and highly significant correlation between the total and the MAP species numbers (rs = 0.77, p Hypericum perforatum, occurred at 21 sites. The twenty-three hillfort sites represent three of the four climatic regions and six of the ten climatic subregions of Lithuania. Although these hillfort sites are quite small (1.24 ± 0.75 ha on average, without buffer zone), they are scattered across the country and are state-protected as archaeological objects, which makes them suitable for the in situ conservation of MAP genetic resources. In addition, seven hillfort sites (30.4% of the investigated ones) belong to the European network of special areas of conservation of habitats (Natura 2000), thus increasing their international importance. The threat assessment showed that anthropogenic activities (recreational, agricultural, etc.) are among the major factors affecting target-species populations

Polygonatum multiflorum ir P. odoratum Morfologinių požymių ir populiacijų struktūros atsakas į aplinkos veiksnių varijavimą

The morphological variation and population structure were studied in seven populations of Polygonatum multiflorum and 19 populations of P. odoratum. The mean number of flowers per shoot and per inflorescence as well as inflorescence number per shoot in both species correlated negatively with total tree and shrub canopy cover, while the mean number of flowers per inflorescence in P. odoratum correlated positively with the soil pH. The shoot density and life stage composition in P. odoratum populations depended on total tree and shrub canopy cover, which negatively correlated with the density of generative shoots in populations of both species. The results of this study revealed the crucial effect of light availability expressed via total tree and shrub canopy cover in the habitats of Polygonatum species to their flowering intensity and population structure

Influence of genotype ant meteorological conditions on seed productivity of flat pea (Lathyrus Sylvestris)

Flat pea (Lathyrus sylvestris L.) is a member of the family Fabaceae, native to Europe, parts of Africa and Asia. Flat pea is adapted to a wide range of soils and tolerant of numerous environmental factors that restrict the growth of many other plant species. Flat pea is a long-lived erosion control plant that can grow on severely disturbed soil under acid conditions and begin a soil improvement process as well used as living mulch. Flat pea possesses numerous characteristics that make it a potentially valuable agricultural species. Influence of genotype ant meteorological conditions on seed productivity of 12 flat pea genotypes of different geographical origins grown under equal field and agrotechnic conditions were investigated in 2011–2015 m. Phenological observations of vegetation stages were performed. The morphological evaluation of plants included stem height, number of inflorescences, flowers and pods per stem, number of ovules and seeds per pod and plant. Diseases activity and severity was estimated with the Horsfall scale. The research data shows, that the meteorological conditions had a decisive influence on flat pea height of stem, number of inflorescences, seed productivity as well as the spread of fungal diseases, especially downy mildew caused by Peronospora viciae. Height of stem correlated positively with pod (r = 0.68) and seed number (r = 0.63) per stem. Number of ovules per pod was the most stabile characteristic (V = 4.2%), while most variable were numbers of pods and mature seeds per stem (V = 55.9 and 56.3%, respectively). Resistance to downy mildew of the genotypes correlated directly with the number of pods per stem, number ovules per pod and especially number of seeds per stem (r = 0.65; 0.62 and 0.69, respectively). The reduction of numbers of flowers and pods per stem may be partly affected by leaf loss due to downy mildewBotanikos institutasVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Oil content and composition in seeds of Camelina sativa and Crambe abyssinica cultivars

The aim of the study was to evaluate seed oil content and oil composition in five Camelina sativa and four Crambe abyssinica cultivars as an interaction of a genotype and the climatic conditions in Lithuania. The studied species differed in the seed oil content, glucosinolate content in oil and oil fatty acid composition. The oil content was 22.1-42.5% in dry matter of camelina seeds and 23.4-36.6% in crambe seeds. The glucosinolate content varied from 61.8 to 68.6 µmol g-1 in oil of crambe, and from 8.6 to 30.5 µmol g-1 in oil of camelina. The oil content in seeds and glucosinolate content in oil of each species differed between the research years but not between the cultivars. The glucosinolate content in oil correlated significantly with the oil content in dry matter of seeds. However, this correlation was negative for camelina (rs =-0.59, p=0.045) and positive for crambe (rs =0.86, p=0.007). Camelina oil was characterised by the dominance of linolenic acid (34.8-41.6%), while crambe oil was predominated by erucic acid (53.0-60.9%). The second most abundant fatty acid in oil of both species was oleic acid, whose amount did not differ between the species. At the same time, the content of all other studied fatty acids differed significantly between both species. Our study indicated that variation in seed oil content, glucosinolate content and fatty acid composition in each studied species was much less affected by inheritable features of cultivars than by meteorological conditions in the research yearsAgronomijos fakultetasGamtos tyrimų centrasMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Congeneric comparison of allelopathic and autotoxic effects of four Solidago species

The invasive species Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea are known for having the potential to inhibit their neighbours through allelopathy. However, there are no data on allelopathic properties of the natural interspecific hybrid S. xniederederi and no investigations comparing the allelopathic potential of native and invasive Solidago species. We therefore studied the allelopathic effect of aqueous leaf extracts of S. virgaurea, S. canadensis, S. gigantea and S. xniederederi on two congeneric pairs of species (Festuca and Solidago) occurring naturally in communities with the tested Solidago species. Germination and seedling growth of Festuca rubra were inhibited by all Solidago extracts more than were those characteristics of F. pratensis, while S. canadensis was more sensitive to its own and congeneric extracts than was S. xniederederi. The effect of leaf type (green or withered) on Festuca seedling growth was target species-specific, while seed germination was more suppressed by green leaf extracts. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that invasive plant species have stronger persistent allelopathic effects on native plants compared to their native congeners

Linking floral biodiversity with nitrogen and carbon translocations in semi-natural grasslands in Lithuani

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the long-term effects of long-term piggery effluent application on semi-natural grassland ecotop-phytotop changes (above- and below-ground phytomass production, and carbon and nitrogen allocation in grassland communities) in relation to changes (or variability) in topsoil properties. Analysis of phytomass distribution in piggery effluent irrigated grassland communities showed that dry biomass yield varied from 1.7−5.3 t ha-1. Variability in soil and plant cover created a unique and highly unpredictable site specific system, where long-term anthropogenic influences established successor communities with specific characteristics of above- and below-ground biomass distribution. These characteristics depend more on grassland communities than on soil chemical properties. Families of grasses (Poaceae) dominated the surveyed communities and accumulated most carbon and least nitrogen, while legumes accumulated most nitrogen and lignin and least carbon. Carbon concentrations in above-ground biomass had minor variations, while accumulation of nitrogen was strongly influenced by species diversity (r = 0.94, n = 10, p <0.001) and production of above-ground biomas