Increasing the value of plant raw material by inducing genomic changes. Past and prospects for the varietal progress of medicinal plants

The value of herbal raw material guarantees the success of phytotherapy. However, the quality of raw material depends on many complex factors. This is a particular challenge in the era of climate changes. The progress of phytotherapy is possible thanks to work aimed at improving the adaptive capacity of plants in response to environmental changes. Biological and biotechnological methods are interesting techniques used in agriculture, leading to the induction of genomic mutations by chemical polyploidization using antimitotics. This could be a strategy that can prevent decline in crop production. The improvement of crop plants by obtaining higher effectiveness of varieties is an important task of world agriculture. The publication discusses genomic mutations and the occurrence of polyploidy in nature, classifications and mechanisms of polyploid mutations, characteristics of polyploids and the achievements of polyploid breeding. Chemical compounds used to induce polyploidization are listed (colchicine, oryzalin, methyl amiprophos). Techniques for inducing artificial polyploids are presented, including the use of biotechnological techniques (plant cell and tissue cultures in vitro) and polyploidization detection methods. The importance of polyploidization was emphasized, including the functional features of artificial polyploids (utility plants, fruit plants, ornamental plants, herbal plants). Examples of polyploids important in agriculture (50 species) are listed. Experimental achievements regarding herbal plants are described, indicating the main induced features of new plants, including phenotypic, anatomical and phytochemical characteristics. It was noted that the biotechnological approach may be a solution leading to the improvement of plant biomass parameters and an increase in the content of secondary metabolites of medicinal and cosmetic importance using in vitro breeding systems.