Eastern Mediterranean countries including Israel and Turkey, has been the source of many commercial ornamental plants, especially geophytes. Examples are anemones, ranunculus, cyclamen, hyacinth, Narcissus tazetta, Lilium candidum and several tulips. These species were relatively easy to domesticate. Our plant introduction project includes also several native plants, which have not yet been introduced into commercial cultivation. The introduction projects include many research stages, commencing with the collection of the plants in their native habitat and concluded when the product is introduced commercially. The research included propagation, flowering physiology, postharvest physiology studies and horticultural practices. Several examples of recently introduced plants or in the process of introduction are presented. Among them are geophytes: Oncocyclus irises, Uriginea maritima, Scilla hyacinthoides, Asphodelus ramosus and several Allium species; annuals and herbaceous perennials: Lupinus pilosus; Eremostachys laciniata and Helichrysum sanguineum. INTRODUCTION Israel is a small country (less than 3 % the size of Turkey), but this small geographical area is marked by a diversity of topographic, climatic, and edaphic characters. About 100 years ago Post wrote in his introduction to the first complete flora of this region: region is unequaled by any of the same size on the globe, not only for the thrilling and important events of human history of which it has been the theater, but for its unique geological structure, its great diversity of surface and climate, and its remarkable flora. Israel is situated at the meeting point of three continents and three climatic and vegetational regions: Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian and the Saharo-Sindian desert. As a result of these conditions, this small country has a very rich indigenous flora, comprising about 3,000 species of phanerogamic plants, compared with about 1,500 in the British Isles and 1,800 in Egypt. Israel has probably been one of the most traveled lands since antiquity. As one of the two centers of western civilization, Israel and Greece, a junction of three continents and the center of the three major monotheistic religions. Crossed by conquerors, pilgrims, crusaders, travelers and explorers, no wonder that some of the Israeli as well as Turkish native plants have been transferred to Europe hundreds of years ago and introduced into cultivation. Examples are: Anemone coronaria, Ranunculus asiaticus, Cyclamen persicum, Hyacinthus orientalis, Narcissus tazetta, Lilium candidum and several tulips. These are some of the species that were relatively easy to domesticate (Halevy, 1962). In spite of this, local native plant populations are far from being exhausted. This is because many regions in Israel as well as in Turkey were inaccessible to common travelers until recently, but mainly because of the advancement in our knowledge and the development of techniques in propagation, culture and postharvest handling. DOMESTICATION OF NEW CUT FLOWER CROPS IN ISRAEL Fifteen years ago the traditional major crops constituted over 60 % of the cut flowers grown in and exported from Israel. In recent years over 60 % of the exportable flowers are new crops, most of which have not been grown commercially 15 years ago. Proc. IS on Sust. Use Of Plant Biodiv. Eds. E. Duzyaman Y Ziv et al., 1983). Tissue culture propagation techniques have been developed (Ziv et al., 1983; Evenor et al., 1997). Flowering can be advanced by cooling the bulbs at 9C for 4 to 8 weeks prior to planting and by applying photoperiodic night lighting during growth (Halevy, 1992).
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Oct 1, 2023
Ali Akbar Hussaini + 5
Open Access