Scientists of the University Center for Applied Biotechnology will help preserve the gene pool of the Altai maralnik

5 April 2022 Department of Information and Media Communication
The Altai Center for Applied Biotechnology of Altai State University is implementing the project "Preservation and improvement of the gene pool of agricultural, medicinal crops and rare plant species" within the framework of the "Priority 2030” program.

The project is designed for three years, in 2021, scientists completed part of the work to replenish the in vitro collection of crops and rare and endangered species. Eleven varieties of hops, eight varieties of soft wheat and a rare Red Book plant - Ledebour's rhododendron, also known as maralnik, have been introduced into the culture. These plants were not chosen by chance.

Photo: by Andrey Kaspirshin

There is a growing interest in functional nutrition in the world, the development of new products with improved nutritional qualities. Such products include the so-called "colored wheat" with high antioxidant activity. Based on the analysis of the content of anthocyanins, protein and gluten in wheat with colored grains, forms that are promising for use in breeding have been identified.

The ordering customer for work with hops was the Charysh Agricultural Consumer Cooperative named after Academician S.N. Khabarov, which is engaged in the revival of hop-growing in Altai Krai. With their suggestion, university scientists began to explore the possibility of introducing varieties of hops into in vitro culture, to study the diseases that occur in this culture.

Maralnik, or Ledebour's rhododendron, is a rare plant listed in the Red Book of Altai Krai, forbidden for collection and digging, so it is difficult to propagate it. At the same time, maralnik attracts the attention of people, in Altai Krai they even celebrate the holiday "Maralnik Blossom", so there is a risk of damaging to its population. The task of scientists, fundamental science is to choose the conditions in which it would be possible, without harm to nature, to learn how to propagate this plant, grow planting material.

The project is based on the use of plant cell and tissue culture methods, clonal micropropagation. It allows obtaining from one sample several tens, sometimes hundreds of identical plants. In addition, biotechnological methods make it possible to heal the material.

As part of the second block, an assessment of the contamination of planting material with internal infections will be carried out with the development of a recovery scheme. The main work in this direction will begin this year and will continue in 2023, since this is the most labor-intensive and lengthy process.

“The Priority 2030” program has made it possible to improve the laboratory base of the center, to equip the laboratory for molecular genetic research. In particular, a DNA amplifier was purchased. In the future, this equipment can also be used in the educational process, for students, when conducting study tours for schoolchildren as part of the DNA Center and the Talent 22 project for talented children. This is an interesting and promising direction. For example, this year, together with industrial partners, we will work with the assessment of potato phytopathogens,” said Olga Mironenko, project manager, executive director of the Altai Center for Applied Biotechnology.

All employees of the Altai Center for Applied Biotechnology, including one graduate student, are involved in the project. It is also planned to involve five students-biochemists and biotechnologists who, on the basis of the Center, prepare final qualification works and have the necessary skills to work in a laboratory.

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