Identification of Medicinal Plants Value Chain, Challenges and Opportunities(Case Study of Thyme)

Nowadays, ۸۰% of the world's population, especially in developing countries, are dependent on medicinal plants for treatment. According to the World Health Organization, about ۲۵% of all medicines used worldwide are derived from plants and their derivatives. Preserving the genetic resources of plant species in natural habitats is essential. Therefore, with the aim of increasing the quality and quantity of the final product and achieving homogeneous and uniform medicinal plant to meet the growing global demand, the policy of cultivation and domestication of medicinal plants in the agricultural conditions was prioritized. Thyme species are important medicinal plants in the world due to their various valuable compounds. In this paper, the research path from identifying different thyme wild populations, studying germination needs, seedling production and establishing different populations in one place, multiple species evaluations to identifying superior and compatible ones in Semnan province as a practical example of the medicinal plant breeding program will be reported in this presentation.

Keywords:

domestication , breeding , thymus spp , essential oil , thymol