Common autumn crocus in the cultural plantings of South Karelia

Abstract

In 2024, due to sanctions restrictions, the availability of medical raw materials may be seriously limited, which acutely raises the question of the availability of its own, Russian base of medicinal raw materials. The concept of pharmaceutical safety of the country involves expanding the range of cultivated medicinal plants, primarily in the northern regions, where special soil and climatic conditions (long daylight hours, low temperatures of the growing season, soil conditions) allow plants to accumulate a greater amount of biologically active substances compared to plants cultivated in the southern regions. One of the most valuable, but sparsely distributed species of medicinal plants is the common autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), which contains a sparsely distributed alacloid – colchicine. Colchicine is a valuable alkaloid used in medicine and in plant breeding. Previously, it was found that the common autumn crocus containing the alkaloid colchicine tolerates winter in South Karelia and can be used as a local source of colchicine. In this regard, the purpose of our research was to study the features of the introduction of the common autumn crocus on sod-podzolic mineral soils of South Karelia.