Sota Valbona, Nacheva Lilyana, Bošnjak Dejan, Abraham Eleni, Jevremović Slađana, Cvjetković Branislav, Galović Vladislava, Jevremović Darko, Marković Zvjezdana, Kongjika Efigjeni, Bogunović Sanja, Zeljković Svjetlana, Andonovski Vlatko, Daničić Vanja, Vujović Tatjana
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania.
Research Center of Biotechnology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Tirana, Albania.
Front Plant Sci. 2025 Aug 25;16:1586013. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1586013. eCollection 2025.
The Balkan Peninsula is a European biodiversity hotspot, home to 6,500 native vascular plant species, many of which are endemic. The region has diverse range of climates and complex topography, creating conditions that suit many woody ornamental, fruit, and forest species. Nevertheless, climate change, habitat destruction, invasive species, plant diseases, and agricultural practices threaten natural ecosystems and cultivated species. Many Balkan countries have addressed these challenges using advanced biotechnological approaches, including micropropagation, conservation, and selection for stress-tolerant genotypes. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of plant biotechnology progress in the Balkan countries from the beginning of the 21 century to the present, with a focus on woody horticultural and forest species. The primary objectives of scientific research include optimizing media composition for all components and micropropagation stages, as well as effective initial explant selection. In addition, temporary immersion bioreactors, synthetic seed technology, and cryopreservation techniques have been explored to enhance plant production and conservation. Scientific research for woody ornamentals and fruit tree species has progressed in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, and Serbia while remaining limited in other Balkan countries. Forest tree production research is currently conducted in Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia, with labs focusing on micropropagation and conservation. In addition to advances in scientific research, several commercial companies operate in the Balkans, with establishments in Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia, that produce -derived planting material for fruit trees and woody ornamental plants. Despite this progress, research in the Balkan countries remains fragmented, emphasizing the need to strengthen regional collaboration and knowledge exchange to promote agricultural development processes and biotechnological applications in this region. This review represents the first exploration of this topic in the Balkans and successfully unites researchers from several countries. It highlights key scientific advances in biotechnology for woody plants, identifies challenges, and proposes solutions. The value of interdisciplinary collaboration is emphasized through the optimization of methodologies, the promotion of germplasm conservation, and the sustainable use of plant genetic resources in the Balkans.
巴尔干半岛是欧洲的一个生物多样性热点地区，有6500种本土维管植物，其中许多是特有种。该地区气候多样，地形复杂，为许多木本观赏植物、果树和森林树种创造了适宜的条件。然而，气候变化、栖息地破坏、入侵物种、植物病害和农业实践威胁着自然生态系统和栽培物种。许多巴尔干国家采用先进的生物技术方法应对这些挑战，包括微繁殖、保护以及选择耐胁迫基因型。本文全面概述了21世纪初至今巴尔干国家植物生物技术的进展，重点关注木本园艺和森林树种。科学研究的主要目标包括优化所有成分和微繁殖阶段的培养基组成，以及有效地选择初始外植体。此外，还探索了临时浸没生物反应器、合成种子技术和冷冻保存技术，以提高植物生产和保护水平。阿尔巴尼亚、保加利亚、克罗地亚、希腊和塞尔维亚在木本观赏植物和果树物种的科学研究方面取得了进展，而在其他巴尔干国家仍较为有限。目前保加利亚、希腊和塞尔维亚开展了林木生产研究，实验室专注于微繁殖和保护。除了科学研究的进展外，巴尔干地区还有几家商业公司，在塞尔维亚、希腊、保加利亚和北马其顿设有机构，生产果树和木本观赏植物的繁殖材料。尽管取得了这些进展，但巴尔干国家的研究仍然分散，强调需要加强区域合作和知识交流，以促进该地区的农业发展进程和生物技术应用。本综述是对巴尔干地区这一主题的首次探索，并成功地团结了几个国家的研究人员。它突出了木本植物生物技术的关键科学进展，确定了挑战，并提出了解决方案。通过优化方法、促进种质保护和可持续利用巴尔干地区的植物遗传资源，强调了跨学科合作的价值。
