Collaborating for plant innovation
Plants have many uses, providing a food source, medicinal, cosmetic and health products and insecticides. To exploit the useful properties of plants, research efforts need to be widespread and encompass as many countries as possible, particularly those containing endemic species. For the EU-funded ‘Edible, medicinal and aromatic plants’ (EMAP) project, scientists in EU and non-EU countries shared their expertise through reciprocal researcher exchange programmes in plant science. During the course of the project, 250 academic and technical staff members from 14 research institutions exchanged scientific and technical knowledge through short-term exchange visits. Focusing on commercial opportunities for edible, medicinal and essential oil-containing plants, researchers aimed to develop new products such as pharmaceuticals, food supplements or pesticides. To do this, they developed protocols to identify and collect potentially useful plants, and exchanged plant materials and data with partner institutions for collaborative work. Researchers then developed methods to extract active ingredients for use in natural product formulations such as health/dietary supplements, herbal products or flavourings. The exchanges, which involved all scientific levels from experienced and early-stage researchers to management and technical staff, created a communication network to improve research coordination. Collaborations between EU and non-EU Mediterranean partners, as well as a bilateral project between Egypt and Italy researching antifungal activity of essential oils, were established. EMAP projects will foster long-term cooperation, thereby generating innovative research, improving human resources and enhancing the research capacities of all involved institutions.
Keywords
Pharmaceuticals, health supplement, medicinal and aromatic plants, natural product
