Cultivation of Serapias orientalis Plant Using Symbiotic Methods and Investigation of Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

Conservation biology aims to prevent the decline in biodiversity by reducing the factors that cause it. One way to achieve this is by producing economically valuable orchids in high quantities, allowing humans to rely less on natural populations. In the study, Serapias orientalis seeds were successfully germinated using symbiotic methods and transplanted into a natural field. After 18 months, the plants began to flower, marking the first successful production of S. orientalis in a natural environment. The researchers then analyzed the fatty acid and chemical contents of the leaves and flowers using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, identifying 28 fatty acids and 19 other substances. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic acid (21.72%), palmitic acid (20.22%), allylinolenic acid (16.87%), oleic acid (8.67%), and stearic acid (6.13%). Major compounds identified in the methanol extract included hydroxyacetic acid hydrazide (7.38%), semicarbazide hydrochloride (5.06%), dl-glyceraldehyde (5.42%), pentacosane (39.85%), and cholesterol (13.05%). These findings offer a new method for conserving S. orientalis and highlight the potential use of these plants in food, medical, and industrial applications due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds.