Botanical Garden of Vilnius University

Botanical Garden of Vilnius University

Sukurta: 14 June 2020

43 Kairėnų str., LT-10239 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3133
E-mail:
http://www.botanikos-sodas.vu.lt

Director – Dr. Audrius Skridaila

STAFF

Chief research fellow: Habil. Dr. I. Pašakinskienė.
Senior research fellows: Dr. A. Skridaila, Dr. D. Naugžemys.
Research fellows: Dr. A. Aučina, Dr. S. Dapkūnienė, Dr. R. Juodkaitė, Dr. R. Šiukšta, Dr. V. Vaitkūnienė, Dr. S. Žilinskaitė.
Junior research fellow: Dr. G. Štukėnienė.

Departments of the Botanical Garden:
Department of Management and Coordination of Scientific Programs: 1) Group of Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy; 2) Laboratory of Biotechnology and Genetics.
Department of Plant Collections: 1) Group of Lithuanian Flora; 2) Group of Dendrological Collections; 3) Group of Pomological Collections; 4) Group of Herbaceous Ornamental Plant Collections; 5) Group of Indoor Plant Collections; 6) Group of Natural and Induced Mutants Collections;
Department of Vingis, 110 M. K. Čiurlionio str., LT-03100 Vilnius, tel. 233 0160

RESEARCH AREAS

Genomics, biomolecules and biotechnologies: fundamental and applied research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Introduction and investigation of ornamental and horticulture plants
Collection, assessment and conservation of plant genetic resources
Plant molecular taxonomy
Genetic polymorphism, genetic instability of plants
Biotechnology of cultivation and reproduction
Micropropagation in vitro
Phytopathology, mycorrhizal fungi diversity

MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2019

International conference Educational Spaces: Aspects of Biodiversity, Human Health and Nutrition. Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Centre of Non-formal Youth Education, Botanical Garden of Vilnius University, October 17, 2019.

BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD

  • D. Ryliškis, A. Skridaila. Collection Assessment in Botanical garden of Vilnius University. First results. Meeting of Baltic Sea Region Botanical Gardens Assotiation and Interantional conference Botanical garden: a green world for everyone! Educational activities for visitors with special needs in green species. Poznan, Poland. June 06–12, 2019.
  • D. Ryliškis, A. Skridaila. Botanical Garden of Vilnius University: main facts, plant collections, activities, ranking by visitors. Baltic Botanic Gardens conference. Riga, Latvia, September 20, 2019.
  • A. Skridaila, S. Dapkūnienė, V. Snieškienė. The plants of Caucasian flora in ethnographical gardens of Lithuania. International conference Advances and perspectives of biodiversity research and conservation in Georgia. Tbilisi, Georgia, May 20–22, 2019.
  • S. Žilinskaitė. Vilnius-Kremenets-Kyiv – botanical gardens in 19th century: from history to nowadays (heritage aspects). Introduction and conservation of vegetation diversity in botanical gardens of Eastern Europe. International scientific and practical conference, Kyiv, Ukraine, May 22–24, 2019.
  • S. Žilinskaitė. The collectionof blue-berry honeysuckle at the Botanical Garden of Vilnius University and its place among other collections. How to evaluate? Plants introduction: current state, problems and prospects. International scientific conference, Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 14–17, 2019.

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2019

Projects funded by University Budget

Plant Genetic Resources, Biological, Molecular Studies and Biotechnology. Group Leader Prof. Habil. Dr. I. Pašakinskienė. 2016–2020.

Long-term dynamics of ectomycorrhizal community of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings were investigated. The study was conducted to assess the effects of the set-aside period of forest clear-cuts on growth, survival of Scots pine seedlings and fungal succession and diversity in ECM associations along the soil fertility gradient. Micropropagation in vitro was established for Rhododendron L. – one species and 6 cultivars, Syringa L. – 50 cultivars and Lilium L. - 6 cultivars, too. Assessment of genetic differentiation of Taxus baccata L. of 16 Latvian populations was carried out by amplified ISSR DNA polymorphism.

Main publications:

Aučina, A., Rudawska, M., Wilgan, W., Janowski, D., Skridaila, A., Dapkūnienė, S., Leski, T. Functional diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities along a peatland – forest gradient. Pedobiologia, Journal of Soil Ecology. 2019, vol. 74: 15–23.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2019.03.001

Vaitkūnienė, V., Šiukšta, R., Leistrumaitė, A., Rančelis V. Prospective use of barley spike/flower homeotic single and double mutants for ornamental purposes. Euphytica, online 22 June 2019. 13 p.
Euphytica. 2019, 215:127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-019-2456-8

Krokaitė, E., Shakeneva, D., Juškaitytė, E., Rekašius, T., Nemaniūtė-Gužienė, J., Butkuvienė, J., Patamsytė, J., Rančelienė, V., Vyšniauskienė, R., Duchovskienė, L., Jocienė, L., Sinkevičienė, Z., Naugžemys, D., Kleizaitė, V., Chmura, D., Anderson, N. O., Žvingila, D., Kupčinskienė E. Nitrogen concentration of the aquatic plant species in relation to land cover type and other variables of the environment. Žemdirbystė-Agriculture. 2019, 106(3): 203–212. doi:10.13080/z-a.2019.106.026.

International Projects

Ribes/Rubus European Central Data Base. Dr. D. Ryliškis.
Internet: http://projektai.vu.lt/ribes-rubus.
The Central Ribes/Rubus Europe Database was managed (the IPGRI and ECP/GR request).

Botanical Gardens as Part of European Cultural Heritage (B-Ardent!). Erasmus+, KA2, Nr. 2018-1-CZ01-KA202-048171.
Internet: https://www.botanikos-sodas.vu.lt/news/322/42/Botanikos-sodai-kaip-dalis-Europos-kult%C5%ABrinio-paveldo

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

BGCI – Botanical Garden Conservation International
LUBSA – Lithuanian Association of University Botanical Gardens (Lithuania)
IPGRI – International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (Italy)
Institute of Dendrology, Kornik (Poland)
Lithuanian Plant Gene Bank (Lithuania)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Dr. A. Skridaila –

  • editorial board member of the scientific journal Rocznik Polskiego towarzystwa Dendrologicznego.

Habil. Dr. I. Pašakinskienė –

  • editorial board member of the scientific journal Botanica Lithuanica.

MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS, AND BUSINESS ENTITIES

  • Skridaila, A. Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania. Recast of the Law on Green Plantations. Member of the Working Group.
  • Skridaila, A. Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania. Commission on Invasive Organisms. Member.
  • Skridaila, A., Pašakinskienė, I. Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania. Standing Commission on National Genetic Resources for Plants. Members.
  • Pašakinskienė, I. Lithuanian Research Council. National Science Program for Sustainability of Agro-, Forest- and Aquatic Ecosystems. Executive Team Expert.
  • Pašakinskienė, I. Lithuanian Research Council. Member of the Project Evaluation Committee.

CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY THE UNIT TO THE PUBLIC OR ECONOMIC ENTITIES

  • Public agency Soil Remediation Technologies (42 Antakalnio str., LT-10304 Vilnius) was consulted presenting technology created and used by Vilnius University Botanical Garden for producing compost from biodegradable waste using autonomic solar energy system.
  • In 2019, public agency Soil Remediation Technologies was awarded the Gold Medal of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists for the best product of the year for soil cleaning plant exposition (arranged in cooperation with Vilnius University Botanical Garden).

MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES

18 articles in magazines and portals, 14 TV interviews, 8 radio interviews.