From wild rocky outcrops in Crete (Greece) to pots, gardens, home vases and/or forks: introducing Campanula pelviformis and Petromarula pinnata (Campanulaceae) as new and unique multi-purpose crops

Petromarula pinnata and Campanula pelviformis (Campanulaceae) represent neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources (NUPs). These range-restricted and vulnerable wild-growing perennial plants are restricted to Crete Greece (the latter protected by the Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981) and are attractive due to impressive inflorescences; savory as edible greens sourced from the wild for traditional local culinary applications (‘tsigariasto’ and ‘chortopitakia’); and trustworthy in terms of medicinal value as natural sources of phytonutrients and bioactive compounds.
Therefore, these unique NUPs have a promising potential for exploitation in economic sectors.
This study is built on results of previous and current research projects and outlines the sustainable exploitation strategy developed for these local Cretan NUPs employing: authorized access to the wild-growing populations; species-specific precipitation and temperature requirements facilitated by GIS (geographical information systems); taxonomic documentation and/or consolidated genetic identity (DNA Barcoding); species-specific protocols for seed germination, asexual propagation and acclimatization; pivotal pot and field cultivation trials with fertilization schemes; and multifaceted evaluation in economic sectors (agro-alimentary, ornamental-horticultural and medicinal-cosmetic) for value chain creation.
Different plant parts are of interest per economic sector, i.e., fresh cut-flowers (inflorescences) for decoration and living plants as pot plants for gardening and landscaping applications; fresh or dried and/or frozen edible flowers, leaves and leaf-rosettes for culinary preparations; fresh or dried leaves and roots (and extracts thereof) for medicinal preparations.
All procedures followed to date aim to pave the way for the sustainable exploitation of C. pelviformis and P. pinnata as new and unique multi-purpose crops associated with features that permit any future product development to be labeled as protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI), thus facilitating their branding as exclusive Cretan products of high added value.

EHC2024: International Symposium on Genetic Resources in Horticulture: Screening, Propagation, Use, and Conservation

N. Krigas, I. Anestis, E. Pipinis, S. Kostas, E. Papaioannou, E. Karapatzak, K. Paschalidis, D. Lazari, S. Hatzilazarou, G. Tsoktouridis

biodiversity, neglected and underutilized plants, medicinal, ornamental

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1439.47