Abstract
Dogroses belong to a taxonomically difficult genus and family and represent important phytogenetic resources associated with high ornamental, pharmaceutical-cosmetic and nutritional values, thus suggesting a potentially high exploitation merit. Triggered by these prospects, wild-growing Rosa canina populations of Greece were selected for investigation and evaluation of their potential for integrated domestication. We collected ripe rosehips from Greek native wild-growing populations (samples from seven genotypes) for phytochemical analysis (total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity and vitamin C content), leaf samples for DNA analysis using the ITS2 sequence (nine genotypes) and fresh soft-wood stem cuttings for propagation trials (seven genotypes). After evaluation of these materials, this study reports for the first-time distinct DNA-fingerprinted genotypes from Greece with interesting phytochemical profiles mainly in terms of Vitamic C content (up to 500.22 ± 0.15 mg of ascorbic acid equivalents/100 g of sample) as well as effective asexual propagation protocols for prioritized R. canina genotypes via cuttings. The latter highlights the importance of the levels of external hormone application (2000 ppm of indole-3-butyric acid), the effect of season (highly-effective spring trials) and genotype-specific differences in rooting capacities of the studied genotypes. All inclusive, this study offers new artificially selected material of Greek native R. canina with a consolidated identity and interesting phytochemical profile. These materials are currently under ex-situ conservation for further evaluation and characterization in pilot field studies, thus facilitating its sustainable exploitation for applications in the agro-alimentary, medicinal-cosmetic, and ornamental sectors.
Highlights
To date there are at least 373 recognized species worldwide in genus Rosa L. of Rosaceae family and about 30,000 ornamental varieties [1,2]; the latter are probably derived from only seven species largely contributing to the creation of the modern commercial rose with further seven species providing some minor inputs [3]
In the frame of sustainable exploitation strategies [38,39,40] and coordinated research efforts to explore and evaluate the economic potential of neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources which are native to Mediterranean regions [41,42,43], the aim of the current study was three-fold, focusing on: (i) the molecular authentication of Greek native R. canina germplasm (DNA fingerprinting of different genotypes); the evaluation of phytochemical content of selected Greek native genotypes; and (iii) the development of genotype-specific asexual propagation protocols thereof by cuttings
In the frame of sustainable exploitation strategies involving neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources and domestication of wild-growing genotypes of native plants, the study focused on the exploration of the potential of Greek native Rosa canina germplasm
Summary
To date there are at least 373 recognized species worldwide in genus Rosa L. of Rosaceae family (www.theplantlist.org, accessed on 1 November 2021) and about 30,000 ornamental varieties [1,2]; the latter are probably derived from only seven species largely contributing to the creation of the modern commercial rose with further seven species providing some minor inputs [3]. >3100 species names of roses remain to be evaluated, outlining a notoriously complex taxonomy in genus Rosa [4]. With about 60 rose species of Eurasian distribution, Caninae represents one of the largest sections of the genus Rosa [5]. The species included cannot be well circumscribed by specific morphological traits due to multiple reproductive strategies (from apomixis to outcrossing including hybridization) and a unique meiotic system (the so-called canina meiosis), rendering dogroses as mostly pentaploids (rarely tetraploids or hexaploids; 2 n = 4 x, 5 x, 6 x = 28, 35, 42) with a base number of seven chromosomes [5]. The complex taxonomy of this family, genus, and section makes species identification difficult, and genetic studies including DNA barcoding may offer insight regarding relationships among closely related species [6]
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