Valorization of knowledge
In partnership with the Universities of Padua and Verona and national research centers, we adopt cutting-edge technologies: plant cell coltures to create new ingredients that respect biodiversity and save resources such as water and soil. We also use micropropagation to quickly and safely multiply new, healthy, and vigorous seedlings, even from recalcitrant species.
Colture
Plant Cell Colture
Echinacea Purpurea: we make it possible to develop exclusive cell lines, currently in Petri dishes, for subsequent scaling up in collaboration with partner companies that want to use the plant cell culture platform in the production of ingredients for health and personal care.
A collection of fifteen Passiflora species is available for development for cosmetic use, including Passiflora coccinea and Passiflora garckei (INCI name: Passiflora coccinea Callus Extract and Passiflora garckei Meristem Cell Culture).
A collection of five Artemisia species is also available, including Artemisia alba and Artemisia annua (INCI Name: Artemisia Annua Meristem Cell Extract).
Partnership
Micropropagation
In November 2023, we obtained the approval of the project «Towards a sustainable organic nursery chain: micropropagation of species for biodiversity and for organic agri-food and optimization of the use of biostimulants with active substances from processing byproducts for organic nurseries» (FSE DGR 553/2023 of Regione Veneto), with the University of Padua and other partners.
Since 2020, the DAFNAE department has collaborated with Rigoni di Asiago srl and PlantaRei Biotech srl to form a working group, coordinated by Prof. B. Ruperti.
In this collaboration, the group established a laboratory to develop micropropagation protocols for recalcitrant blueberry varieties of a native variety "Dolomiti" and the selection of Corylus colurna rootstocks.
The objectives include the in vitro transfer of recalcitrant species, the development of micropropagation protocols, the optimization of rooting phases, the analysis of plant performance, and the large-scale production of micropropagated plants for subsequent transplanting in nurseries.
Thanks to this project of micropropagation of medicinal and edible plants of the Veneto flora, we will obtain sustainable sources of health-promoting active ingredients. At the same time, we preserve biodiversity and commit ourselves to the repopulation of the Asiago plateau with species that were once common, but are now rare, such as Persicaria bistorta, Oxalis acetosella (Iron Butterfly), Pimpinella anisum and Erythronium dens-canis. With our contribution, we aim to safeguard this precious heritage for future generations.
The second phase of the project involves testing the synergistic activity of a compound, which, when added to the extracts developed by us through a circular economy approach, aims to enhance the growth of plants obtained by micropropagation during the delicate acclimatization phase.