Primary Introduction and Cultivation Prospects of Medicinal Plants in Southern Kyrgyzstan

Authors

  • Bolotbek Karimov

    Institute of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technologies, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Zhazgul Abdyrakhmanova

    Institute of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technologies, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Aida Dursunbaeva

    Institute of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technologies, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Omurbek Karymshakov

    Faculty of Medicine, Kyrgyz State University Named after I. Arabaev, Bishkek 720083, Kyrgyzstan
  • Ainazik Boronbaeva

    Institute of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technologies, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Gulmira Dolonova

    Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography, Osh State Pedagogical University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Meder Karimov

    International Faculty of Medicine, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan
  • Menay Tairjanova

    International Faculty of Medicine, Osh State University, Osh 723500, Kyrgyzstan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.13118
Received: 3 February 2026 | Revised: 26 March 2026 | Accepted: 31 March 2026 | Published Online: 27 July 2026

Abstract

Cultivation of medicinal plants in continental climates requires reliable evaluation of their introduction performance and cultivation prospects. The present study assessed the primary introduction of ten medicinal plant species cultivated in the Botanical Garden of Osh State University (southern Kyrgyzstan) during two growing seasons (2022–2024). Field observations included winter survival, aboveground biomass accumulation, seed productivity, thousand-seed weight, and germination capacity. Experimental trials were conducted under open-field conditions using a randomized block design with three replicated plots per species. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to evaluate the effects of species and year on measured performance indicators. Significant interspecific variability was detected in winter survival, productivity traits, and reproductive parameters (p < 0.05). Perennial species generally demonstrated stable establishment and satisfactory overwintering, while annual and biennial species showed rapid generative development during the first growing season. Origanum vulgare exhibited moderate biomass accumulation but maintained consistently high winter survival and seed germination, indicating favorable cultivation prospects under the continental climatic conditions of southern Kyrgyzstan. Interannual differences in plant performance were associated with variations in minimum winter temperatures and spring precipitation. The results highlight the importance of multi-year introduction trials for evaluating cultivation potential of medicinal plants under variable mountain climate conditions. The study provides baseline information for ex situ conservation of medicinal plant genetic resources and supports the development of regionally adapted cultivation strategies for economically valuable species in Central Asia.

Keywords:

Origanum vulgare; Medicinal Plants; Plant Introduction; Botanical Gardens; Ecological Adaptation; Kyrgyzstan

References

[1] Krishnan, S., Novy, A., 2016. The role of botanic gardens in the twenty-first century. CABI Reviews. 11(23), 1–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR201611023

[2] Huang, H., Liao, J., 2022. On China’s national botanical gardens: Building a comprehensive system of ex situ conservation of national botanical gardens with task oriented disciplines. Biodiversity Science. 30(6), 22220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17520/biods.2022220 (in Chinese)

[3] Chen, G.S., 2012. Exploring methods to strengthen multi-function of medicinal botanical gardens. Advanced Materials Research. 524–527, 2122–2126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.524-527.2122

[4] Minyazeva, Y.M., 2023. Medicinal plants of the Far East in the Botanical Garden of VILAR. Problems of Botany of South Siberia and Mongolia. 22(1), 225–229.

[5] Heywood, V.H., 2017. Plant conservation in the Anthropocene—Challenges and future prospects. Plant Diversity. 39(6), 314–330. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.10.004

[6] Tsitsilin, A.N., 2021. Introduction of medicinal and essential oil plants in botanical gardens (Current state, prospects, problems). Plant Biology and Horticulture: Theory, Innovations. 4(161), 86–92.

[7] Vasfilova, E.S., Sushentsov, O.E., Zainullina, K.S., et al., 2013. Regularities of medicinal plant introduction based on vitality analysis. Vestnik Perm University. Biology. 2, 4–10.

[8] Lazkov, G.A., Sultanova, B.A., 2014. Checklist of Vascular Plants of Kyrgyzstan. Botanical Research Institute Press: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

[9] Nicotra, A.B., Atkin, O.K., Bonser, S.P., et al., 2010. Plant phenotypic plasticity in a changing climate. Trends in Plant Science. 15(12), 684–692. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2010.09.008

[10] Jump, A.S., Peñuelas, J., 2005. Running to stand still: Adaptation and climate change. Ecology Letters. 8(9), 1010–1020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00796.x

[11] Parmesan, C., 2006. Ecological and evolutionary responses to recent climate change. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 37, 637–669.

[12] Sultan, S.E., 2000. Phenotypic plasticity for plant development, function and life history. Trends in Plant Science. 5(12), 537–542.

[13] Valladares, F., Gianoli, E., Gómez, J.M., 2007. Ecological limits to plant phenotypic plasticity. New Phytologist. 176(4), 749–763.

[14] Franks, S.J., Hoffmann, A.A., 2012. Genetics of climate change adaptation. Annual Review of Genetics. 46, 185–208.

[15] Teixeira, B., Marques, A., Ramos, C., et al., 2013. Chemical composition and bioactivity of different oregano (Origanum vulgare) extracts and essential oil. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 93, 2707–2714.

[16] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2022. Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. IPCC: Geneva, Switzerland. Available from: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

[17] Polechońska, L., Gleńsk, M., Klink, A., et al., 2020. Allelopathic potential of invasive wetland plant Veronica peregrina. Plant Biosystems. 154(4), 481–487. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2019.1635225

[18] Selyaninov, G.T., 1928. About climate agricultural estimation. Proceedings on Agricultural Meteorology. 20, 165–177.

[19] Khrynova, T.R., Khrynova, A.N., 2023. Cultivation of Herbaceous Plants of Central Asia in Different Open Ground Exposures of the Botanical Garden of IBBM NNGU. Problems of Botany of South Siberia and Mongolia. 22(1), 400–404.

[20] Ivashchenko, A.A., Grudzinskaya, L.M., Tursynbai, A., et al., 2023. Experience of primary introduction of Fritillaria karelinii in the main botanical garden of Almaty. Problems of Botany of South Siberia and Mongolia. 22(1), 166–172.

[21] Heywood, V.H., 2017. The Future of Plant Conservation and the Role of Botanic Gardens. Plant Diversity, 39(6), 309–313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.12.002

[22] Mounce, R., Smith, P., Brockington, S., 2017. Ex situ conservation of plant diversity in the world’s botanic gardens. Nature Plants. 3, 795–802. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-017-0019-3

[23] Lukas, B., Schmiderer, C., Novak, J., 2015. Phytochemical diversity of European Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae). Phytochemistry. 109, 32–40.

[24] Leyva-López, N., Gutiérrez-Grijalva, E.P., Vazquez-Olivo, G., et al., 2017. Essential Oils of Oregano: Biological Activity beyond Their Antimicrobial Properties. Molecules. 22(6), 989. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22060989

[25] Vokou, D., Kokkini, S., Bessiere, J.M., 1993. Geographic variation of Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum) essential oils. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 21(2), 287–295.

[26] Skoufogianni, E., Solomou, A.D., Danalatos, N.G., 2019. Ecology, Cultivation and Utilization of the Aromatic Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.): A Review. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca. 47(3), 545–552.

[27] Karimov, B., Dursunbaeva, A., Babekov, A., et al., 2024. Analysis of medicinal flora of the Kurshab River basin in Eastern Alay to preserve biodiversity. E3S Web of Conferences. 537, 05009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202453705009

[28] Arjjumend, H., 2023. Mountain Ecosystems and Resources Management. The Grassroots Institute: Rome, Italy. Available from: https://grassrootsinstitute.net/books-mountaina.html

[29] United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2018. Assessment Report on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services in Europe and Central Asia: A Primer. United Nations Environment Programme: Nairobi, Kenya. Available from: https://www.unep.org/resources/assessment/assessment-report-biodiversity-ecosystem-services-europe-and-central-asia

[30] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2023. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Working Group II-Climate Change 2023: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. IPCC: Geneva, Switzerland.

Downloads

How to Cite

Karimov, B., Abdyrakhmanova, Z., Dursunbaeva, A., Karymshakov, O., Boronbaeva, A., Dolonova, G., Karimov, M., & Tairjanova, M. (2026). Primary Introduction and Cultivation Prospects of Medicinal Plants in Southern Kyrgyzstan. Research in Ecology, 8(4), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.13118

Issue

Vol.8, Iss.4 (August 2026): In Progress

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2026 Bolotbek Karimov, Zhazgul Abdyrakhmanova, Aida Dursunbaeva, Omurbek Karymshakov, Ainazik Boronbaeva, Gulmira Dolonova, Meder Karimov, Menay Tairjanova

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC