A B S T R A C TNative populations of endemic, rare and threatened Limonium species (L. meyeri, L. bulgaricum, L. latifolium, L. vulgare, L. asterotrichum and L. gmelinii) in Bulgaria were monitored and found seriously declined. To preserve these wild genotypes, an approach involving in vitro propagation of explants isolated from immature inflorescence stems was applied at the Institute of Ornamental Plants, Sofia. The rooted plantlets produced were acclimated and grown outdoors under an optimized cultivation regime, which resulted in the establishment of an ex situ plantation. Plant performance ex situ (determined by leaf rosette diameter, plant height and the number of flower stems) was substantially improved and the variation in the biometric indices was found remarkably lower than in natural environment. The developmental stages of ex situ plants appeared with a delay in relation to their onset in the native environment, but occurred synchronously within each species. Analysis of germination of seeds harvested from ex situ and in situ grown plants showed species-specific behaviour, but in general, seed vitality remained relatively low in laboratory conditions, in the soil and in vitro. In order to assess the potential for protecting the native Limonium species from uncontrolled harvesting, the possibility for the production of cut flowers in ex situ conditions was studied. High yield of cut flowers from ex situ plants in comparison with the potential yield from the wild plants and extended vase life in comparison with commercially produced Limonium sinuatum were obtained. The results demonstrated that the applied micropropagation and agrotechnique for protected cultivation are reliable tools for ex situ conservation of the endangered Limonium genotypes in the Bulgarian flora. In addition to its advantage as a rescue measure, the developed system was shown to be suitable for obtaining cut flowers of competitive market quality.

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Abstract. A hot-water treatment was used successfully to obtain pathogen-free planting stock from various plants to control some diseases including gladiolus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hot-water treatments in terms of damaging gladiolus, concerning sprouting and leading to crop loses. Cormels of two gladiolus cultivars, Oscar and Amsterdam, were used for each treatment (temperature x time period) and were immersed in water baths with hot water at 20˚C (as control), 45˚C, 50˚C, 55˚C and 60˚C for different treatment periods 10, 20 and 30 min and were planted in pots (d10cm) Material and methodsapproach is widely applied to many crops, including flowers. The main approach is to decrease the amount of the initial inoculum of Externally healthy cormels of gladiolus cultivars Oscar and the potential pathogenic organism and thus to minimize the risk for Amsterdam (d 0.5 -1.0 cm), with removed outer skin, were used for future production.experimental purposes. They were immersed in water baths with Thermotherapy is one of the oldest techniques used for killing sterile hot water at 20°C (as control), 45°C, 50°C, 55°C and 60°C for the pathogen structures in seed or any other form of planting different treatment periods -10, 20 and 30min. After drying, they material. This method is considered simple to implement, easy to were planted in pots (d 10cm) filled with sterile nutrient substrate use and does not require consumption of high cost resources.(peat:soil:perlite in ratio 3:1:0.5) with approximate weight of 570g. Different variations like Soaking in Hot Water, Hot Air Treatment, Three replicate pots, each containing 10 cormels, were used for Vapor-Heat Treatment, and their derivates -Soaking in Hot Solution each treatment. The percentage of germination of the planted (some chemicals have been added to treatment water); Spraying gladiolus plant was observed and reported during a period of 30 Hot Water and Microwave Treatment have been applied for days. The results were statistically handled and summarized with treatment of seeds and other plant parts (Grondeau et al., 1994).ANOVA program. Such approach was first applied against fusarium rot of gladiolus, wilt, or yellows in California in 1909 (Pryal, 1909.°T reatment with hot water before planting (57 С/30Results and discussion minutes) is a basic method (Magie 1956; Roistacher et al., 1957; Forsberg 1961; Millholand and Aycock 1965; Bald et al., 1971; Hsieh The results from our preliminary studies showed that in Bulgaria 1985; Kohen et al., 1990 and etc.). Such an approach has been fungi of the genus Fusarium, which infected gladiolus plants and applied in the modern, ecologically benign plant protection systems other species representatives of the botanical Family Iridaceae either alone or in combination with other protection methods belonged to two species Fusarium oxysporum (Massey) WC Snyder (Tripathi et al., 2013).& HN Hansen and Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld. and the existence Fungus Fusarium oxysporum var. gladioli /Massey/ causi...

Sciences (ISHS) with the support of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Slovene Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF) have the honor to welcome all engaged in research, development, producers, teaching, extension and public services, suppliers of horticulture materials, cooperatives, private sector and stakeholders related to vegetable and potatoes production to attend the 7th South East European (former Balkan) Symposium on vegetables and potatoes. The Symposium is held in Maribor (university city and in 2012 European culture capital) in the north East of Slovenia from where comes the majority of agriculture products including vegetables as along the river Drava several irrigation systems were established. Long tradition of vegetable production for processing industry in the past and for fresh market in the last period, encouraged Slovene Association for integrated vegetable production established in the year 2000, to prepare all procedures for the first vegetable crop with the origin of denomination "Ptujski lük" which was approved on the European level on 2011. Two days of symposium from 20th to 23rd of June 2017 have scientific programme with additional FAO workshop on GAP for Greenhouse Production on small farms in SEE with the presentation of a new manual printed by FAO in 2017, ISHS meeting and special session about possibilities for networking among researchers in the future. Scientific programme is covering topics: Production systems and quality of V&P, Organic V&P production, Short supply chains and other concepts of V&P marketing, Protected cultivation and GAP of greenhouse production on small farms, Biodiversity, Irrigation and plant water relations, Genetic resources and breeding, Potato, Plant protection, General and other topics. On the 22nd of June 2017 a side event for vegetable and potatoes growers, advisors, technical workers and other professional public titled "Some important facts for improving greenhouse vegetable production" will take place. Under support of FAO and MAFF ten distinguished professionalists will present the most important topics for successful greenhouse vegetable production with the goal to give also Slovene growers and professional public insights in novel research findings and recommendations for improvements. Last day is field trip to growers where different production methods (from biodynamic organic to integrated and soilless, Global GAP) and different marketing strategies (direct selling, CSA, protected origin products, establishing non formal cooperation's and supplying to big chains) are presented with the aim to exchange ideas and knowledge among participants and growers from Podravje region.