Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Cultivation

Medicinal and aromatic plants are plants used for their secondary metabolites in several sectors, food, human and animal medicine, cosmetics, perfumery, wellness and natural colourings. The secondary metabolites targeted vary greatly depending on the sector of use, with specific regulatory, qualitative and economic requirements. These secondary metabolites, which are not essential for plant development, have varied chemical structures that can be classified into three main categories: terpenes, phenolic compounds and alkaloids. These active compounds can be exploited in their natural state (e.g. powder), in the form of various extracts or as purified molecules. Essential oils, in complex and variable mixtures consisting mainly of terpenoids or aromatic compounds derived from phenylpropane, are a well-known examples of secondary metabolites used for many purposes. Other secondary metabolites are well known, as illustrated by the following examples. Artemisinin (peroxidised sesquiterpene lactone) extracted from the leaves of Artemisia annua is the basis for curative treatments for malaria. Pyrethrins extracted from the flower heads of Tanacetum cinerarrifolium are used as insecticides and have been an interesting model for the synthesis of structural analogues (synthetic pyrethroids). Rosmarinic acid, found in plants such as Rosmarinus officinalis and Melissa officinalis, is a powerful antioxidant that can be used in food supplements and cosmetics.

While the first steps in the biosynthesis pathways of the main groups of secondary metabolites are fairly well understood, little is known about the mechanisms and causes regulating their production.

The Working Group Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Cultivation is multidisciplinary, encompassing scientific disciplines such as botany, plant physiology, agronomy (selection and cultivation techniques), biochemistry and phytochemistry. The investigations conducted by these various disciplines aim to acquire a better scientific understanding of the production of these secondary metabolites and to discover new plant resources. This knowledge helps to optimise the agricultural production of secondary metabolites, support the development of new uses, and preserve natural environments by promoting cultivation rather than harvesting in the wild.