The Institute of Rose and Essential Oil Cultures has undergone many changes
in terms of its structure and scope of scientific work during its existence.
Yet, the Institute remains a major center for scientific, research, applied,
service and assistance activity in the field of essential oil and medicinal
cultures in Bulgaria. We hope that regardless of any future changes in view
of our country joining the EU, the Institute will maintain its traditional status
of a leading scientific unit in the field of essential oil production and will
be able to offer its scientific achievements to farming industry.
N. NEDKOV
Director of the Institute of Rose and Essential Oil Cultures in Kazanlak, Bulgaria
The history of the Institute of Rose and Essential Oil Cultures in Kazanlak
dates back to 1907. Regardless of the numerous changes and reorganizations,
the Institute grew from a small Experimental Field to a leading scientific
unit in essential oil production. Generations of experts have contributed
to the development and recognition of this scientific unit by the community
of agricultural science in Bulgaria. The Institute is proud of its history
and achievements, modern ideas and technologies that have found application
in agricultural practice.
The idea for the creation of an Experimental Station in Kazanlak, precursor
of today’s Institute of Rose and Essential Oil Cultures, dates back to 1906.
It was defined during the First Conference of Rose Production in Plovdiv where
the following decision was taken: “To file a request with the government to
establish experimental fields for studying all the issues of rose and other
aromatic plants cultivation”. In 1907, the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture
allocated 26 da of the State Fruit Nursery in Kazanlak where oil-bearing roses
and other aromatic plants, brought from France, were planted. This was the
beginning of research work with rose and essential oil cultures in Bulgaria
under the management of Konstantin Malkov.
The Experimental Field was restored in 1921 as a branch of the Central Agricultural
Experimental Station (CAES) in Sofia and its management was assigned to the
famous Bulgarian scientist Nikola Pushkarov. Gradually the area expanded as
more new essential oil plants were introduced. Konstantin Georgiev, an agronomist,
greatly contributed to this progress. Highly educated, trained in many countries
with advanced farming practices, he quickly developed extensive research not
only with the Kazanlak rose but also with new essential oil crops. The scientific
activity was divided into two sections: one for experiments with the rose
plant and the other for experiments with essential oil plants. Rose distillation
was assigned to the Head of Chemical Department of CAES – Maria Stefanova.
With the expansion of the Experimental Field, the number of farm equipment
increased and investments were allocated for the construction of the first
laboratory and a residential building. In 1925, a meteorological station was
built and in 1928 - 2 modern distillers were installed. During this period,
a laboratory for research of rose and essential oil diseases and pests was
established and the beginning of librarian activity was set. Within 1928-1943,
the Experimental Field functioned as an independent unit directly subordinated
to the Ministry of Agriculture. The 22 years of scientific activity of K.
Georgiev were very successful. He is the one who identified the aspects of
research on rose and essential oil and medicinal plants and carried out a
remarkably wide promotion of this activity by publishing books, brochures
and articles
With the budget for 1943, the Experimental Field was transformed to
Experimental Station for Medicinal and Aromatic plants. The change was only
expressed in employing one more agronomist. The assets of the Station amounted
to 61 da arable land, two distillers and two horses.
As of 1945, the agronomist Vasil Staikov was appointed Head of Station. The
scientific and research work was expanded considerably, the emphasis placed
on major essential oil cultures - oil-bearing rose, mint and lavender and
breeding work with those plants started. Additionally, other issues were explored
such as mechanization, plant protection, plant physiology, technology of processing
of the oil-bearing rose and introduction of new varieties of mint, clary sage
and fennel. The further accumulation of material and technical assets became
an important issue, international relations were expanded and more scientific
workers were employed.
The Station changed its profile several times during its existence. In 1955,
it became a unit of the Bulgarian Academy of Science, in 1961 – it was separated
as an independent scientific unit with its own Scientific Council under the
umbrella of the Academy of Agricultural Science. A decree of the Council of
Ministers dated January 1, 1967 transformed the Experimental Station to the
Institute of Oil-bearing Rose, Essential Oil and Medicinal Plants. The arable
land of the Institute increased to 8570 da (by incorporating the land of the
Co-operative farm of Shipka village), 7400 da of which assigned as an Experimental
Base and 1140 da used for the field experiments. A new laboratory building
and a greenhouse were built, the required farm machines and laboratory equipment
were purchased and the number of scientific workers significantly increased.
Hard work began for the development of new varieties of the three main cultures
- oil-bearing rose, lavender and mint with the application of hybridization
and breeding methods. Breeding objectives targeted the solving of major problems
of essential oil production - higher essential oil content, higher yield per
unit of area, disease and pest resistance, cold tolerance and improvement
of essential oil quality. The first varieties were developed - oil-bearing
rose Prolet, lavender Kazanlak and mint Kliment-63.
The studies on agrotechnics and mechanization reflected directly on production
- the requirements of crops for main nutritive elements were specified, the
location of root system on different soil types was studied and a new method
of oil-bearing rose rooting was developed. At the same time, specialized equipment
for essential oil cultures was designed - for lavender rejuvenation, for lavender
harvesting, for earthing up of mint rootstock and for herbicide application
in rose and lavender. Successful solutions were found to some plant protection
issues – agrilus and rust in rose, rust, stag-beetle and acari in mint.
The transformation of the Station to an Institute triggered medicinal plants
research that was previously carried out at the Plant Breeding Institute in
Sofia. More species were included in the investigations such as summer snowflakes
and valerian and new species were introduced.
With a decree of the Council of Ministers of February 25, 1972, the Institute
became a department of Pharmachim State Economic Enterprise. This transition
resulted in the complete detachment of the Institute from the Agricultural
Academy, restructuring of the scope and plan as well as the discontinuation
of fundamentally important theoretical research work for essential oil production.
The scope of the Institute was limited to applied studies aimed at increasing
the efficiency of Pharmachim SEE industry.
The achievements in the field of breeding of oil-bearing rose, mint, lavender
and other EOMC (essential oil and medicinal cultures) were the contribution
of a whole generation that created the Institute in the period 1970-1980.
New varieties of oil-bearing rose, lavender, mint, valerian, thorn apple,
yellow poppy, clary sage and decorative roses were selected. Funded by Pharmachim
SEE, a large experimental workshop was built as well as distillery, microdistillery
laboratory and laboratory for technological experiments. With a decree of
the Council of Ministers of March 23, 1983, the Research Institute of Rose,
Essential Oil and Medicinal Plants became a division of Bulgarian Rose Scientific
and Production Plant. The objective was to close the cycle land-science-final
product. New laboratories were created during this period: laboratory of cytology,
tissue culture laboratory, technological laboratory of medicinal raw materials,
laboratory of perfumery and cosmetics and experimental extraction laboratory.
The experimental and industrial division developed into a major seed and seedling
production unit for basic and pre-basic sowing and seedling material of essential
oil and medicinal plants for the whole country. Prof. Nikola Astadjov was
Director of the Institute as of 1980 to 1983. In the period 1983-1985, Prof.
Valko Topalov was appointed as Director and in 1985-1991 – Assist. Prof. Spas
Kurtev, B.S.M.E.
A number of new names and reorganizations followed. In 1991, the Institute
was registered as an individual limited liability trade company with public
property with the name RIREMC Ltd. and Ivan Dyankov as Manager. In 1993, the
company was enrolled under the umbrella of the Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Industry with Managers Evgeni Hristov (1992-1996) and Prof. Georgi Chaushev
(1996-1997). During that period, neither of the scientific institutes in the
country was financed by the budget. Applications were made to all relevant
authorities to allow the inclusion of the Institute in the system of the Agricultural
Academy in order to discontinue this irrelevant and ungrounded existence of
the Institute as a trade company.
Prof. Dr. Nedko Nedkov was Director of the Institute in the period 1996-1997.
In 1998, the Council of Ministers separated the Institute from the company
RIREMC Ltd. and established it as an independent scientific division of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Land Reform. Prof. Georgi Chaushev was
Director during this period. Prof. Dr. Ana Margina was appointed Director
in 2001.
As of the end of 2001 to this moment, Prof. Dr. Nedko Nedkov is Director of
the Institute of Rose. In different periods, the Institute has been home to
breeders such as Prof. Y. Yankulov, Ph.D. in biology, Assist. Prof. R. Tsvetkov,
Ph.D., Assist. Prof. G. Djurmanski, Ph.D., Assist. Prof. B. Chingova, Ph.D.
and Assist. Prof. D. Stanev; agro-technicians Assist. Prof. Sr. Zlatev, Ph.D.,
Assist. Prof. S. Slavov, Ph.D., Assist. Prof. J. Atanasov, Ph.D. and Assist.
Prof. G. Paskalev, Ph.D.; mechanical engineers Assist. Prof. K. Kanev, B.S.M.E.,
Assist. Prof. M. Todorov, B.S.M.E. and Assist. Prof. St. Tsachev, B.S.M.E.;
plant protection experts Assist. Prof. I. Tanev, Assist. Prof. K. Kazakova
and Assist. Prof. P. Tsalbukov; Assist. Prof. A. Balinova, Ph.D. in the field
of technology of plant raw material processing as well as Assist. Prof. G.
Zolotovich, Assist. Prof. D. Koseva, Ph.D. and Assist. Prof. R. Decheva, Ph.D.
from Plant Biochemistry and Physiology Department as well as other famous
specialists in the field of essential oil production. A number of scientists
that had a career with the Institute have contributed to its development and
recognition.
The scientific and research work is concentrated on 21 scientific topics and
one project of the Ministry of Education and Science. It is organized by the
Science and Scientific Service Department and includes the subjects of introduction,
breeding and selection, variety maintenance and seed production; agrotechnics
and plant protection and technology of essential oil and medicinal plants
processing.
Introduction is a priority for IREOC. It is devoted to the study and
introduction of local and foreign varieties of essential oil and medicinal
plants. Today, plant genetic resources introduced in IREOC include specimens
of 216 varieties of 45 families, 77 of them being essential oil varieties,
127 – medicinal plant varieties and 20 species threatened with extinction
from Bulgarian flora. Assist. Prof. Anatoli Djurmanski is working on introduction
related issues.
Breeding and selection activity with oil-bearing rose dates back to
1924 with a vast expansion after the 60s of last century in IREOC. The results
of this selection are varieties such as Svejen (author Prof. Staikov) and
Iskra (author Assist. Prof. N. Astadjov). Variety Iskra is recognized and
used as a standard in the system of the Seed Inspection, Approbation and Control
Agency. High-yielding and cold resistant varieties Eleina and Yanina (author
Assist. Prof. Raicho Tsvetkov) were selected in the recent years by the method
of irradiation and chemical mutagenesis. Currently, the Institute is working
on a breeding and selection program for the creation of a white oil-bearing
rose variety with high and balanced essential oil content close to that of
Kazanlak oil-bearing rose. New types of oil-bearing roses, introduced from
Great Britain, are currently in the process of testing, some of them for replacement
purposes and breeding at the same time. The Ministry of Education and Science
project introduced for the first time the inzucht method for homozygous oil-bearing
rose forms development – a step forward to defining the genetic identity of
our rose that is yet not clear from scientific point of view. The research
program uses microsatellite and molecular markers as an important method of
both genetic variability evaluation and characterization of IREOC gene pool.
Hybridization is being recently applied as a means for the development of
new disease and pest resistant specimens and restoring the white oil-bearing
rose population. Assist. Prof. Natasha Kovacheva, Ph.D., is in charge of these
issues.
The foundations of lavender breeding in Bulgaria were set by Vasil
Staikov and Blagovesta Chingova in 1945-1967. They are authors of two lavender
varieties - Kazanlak and Karlovo - by the method of hybridization and individual
breeding as well as variety Hemus in 1974 – an outstanding achievement of
breeding with a yield of 10-11 kg/da essential oil of excellent quality as
it was adopted as a standard by the State Sanitary Control Agency. Varieties
Drujba, Sevtopolis and Ubileina followed and were extensively introduced all
around the country. A team of the Institute, lead by the breeder Assist. Prof.
R. Tsvetkov, recently created the varieties Raya and Hebar with exceptional
essential oil yield - 17.2-16.8 kg/da. Currently, scientific objectives in
lavender are related to progeny testing of several varieties, creation of
super-elite plantations and hybridization.
Mint was included in the scope of the Experimental Field of Kazanlak as early
as the beginning of its establishment. A population of Mentha piperita
has been cultivated for a long period of time – it is characterized with high
quality essential oil, yet, it has some shortcomings such as rust susceptibility,
tendency to stem laying and long vegetation period. These shortcomings were
eliminated with the new varieties, created as a result of the breeding activity
of Assist. Prof. Dimitar Stanev, namely Kliment-63 in 1968, followed by Tundja
in 1972 and Zefir in 1987.
At this stage the scientific work with mint is directed to crossing the best
varieties with selected representatives of mints for breeding of high-yielding
varieties and populations suitable both for oil production and dry mint leaf.
Assist. Prof. Stanko Stanev is working on breeding issues related to lavender
and mint. Achievements in breeding of other essential oil and medicinal cultures
are the result of wide introduction, research, improvement and breeding activity
at the Institute. The first Bulgarian variety Shipka of Valeriana officinalis
L. species was created in 1973 (author N. Astadjov) and was characterized
with high valepotriate content. In 1979, two high alkaloid content yellow
poppy varieties - Glaucin 436 and Glaucin-poly - were recognized by the State
Sanitary Control Agency (author G. Djurmanski), in 1980 the first polyploid
chamomile variety was selected - Lazur (authors D. Stanev and U. Mihailova)
as well as clary sage variety Trakiika (author R. Tsvetkov) and common balm
Melissa-2 (author G. Djurmanski) and many others. Over 40 varieties of essential
oil and medicinal cultures have been created here, 19 of them patented by
IREOC.
Variety maintenance and seed-production scientific and research
work includes research on methods and schemes for variety maintenance and
production on basic and pre-basic sowing and seedling material from main essential
oil and medicinal cultures.
A. Djurmanski, St. Stanev and N. Kovacheva are in charge of introduction and
breeding issues in IREOC.
Cultivation technique – new optimal fertilization and irrigation variants
are defined, new specialized equipment is designed and universal application
equipment is adapted to essential oil and medicinal plant production practices.
The MVG-1 unit, designed at the Institute for granulated herbicide application
in oil-bearing rose as well as UPR-1 for old rose plantations rejuvenation,
etc., have proved very successful. In 1986, the Institute introduced a new
technology for production of oil-bearing rose seedlings by rooting of green
cuttings in a cultivation vessel. This method was characterized with high
propagation coefficient and short term of production therefore it became the
most popular scientific product of the Institute for practical purposes.
At this stage, the scientific issues are related to the effect of drip irrigation
on different oil-bearing rose varieties and types as well as optimum irrigation
variants of others essential oil and medicinal cultures. Prof. Dr. Nedko Nedkov
is working on these issues.
In the field of plant protection, new pesticides and growth regulators
are tested as well as new bio-preparations for substitution of chemicals both
in seedling production and plantations. Sustainable farming is a major issue.
Our young colleagues Assist. Prof. Hristo Lambev and Assist. Prof. Desislava
Angelova are involved in these studies.
Research in the field of essential oil and medicinal plants processing
technology is devoted to optimum operation regimes of technical equipment
for processing of raw material from essential oil and medicinal plants, development
of modern methods for deriving oil and extracts as well as testing of means
for more complete essential oil extraction. New methods for more complete
essential oil extraction by means of surfactant agents have been explored
in the recent years. These issues are covered under the management of Assist.
Prof. A. Dobreva and the Head of the Test Laboratory A. Hairol, B.S.M.E.