The Project aim. To develop the prototype variety of the early ripening kok-saghyz (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) – based on the study of intra-species polymorphism of genotype selection with short vegetation period, their cloning micro propagation and production of elite seed material. Creation of a genetic bank for kok-saghyz (Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin) – producer of natural rubber, which will be used for international exchange, selection purposes, use in biotechnology and industrial utilization.
Current status. (Background in the field of research).
Natural rubber (NR) is a strategically important material in the world industry. NR is used in rubber industry and in production of a wide range of goods: shoes, clothes, catheters, surgical gloves , tires for planes and cars as well as other goods.
In 2016 the world NR market amounted approximately up to $ 24 bln with the consumption volume of 12.9 tons, and by the year of 2023 it is estimated that its consumption will increase up to 16.5 mln tons (International Rubber Study Group -IRSG).
The main sources of rubber are plantations of rubber woods- hevea (Hevea brasiliensis), grown in tropical humid climate of the South- Eastern Asia. Currently hevea plantations and consequently the world market of natural rubber face the following threats:
1.The threat from fungus parasite (Microcyclus ulei), which causes mass infection and the death of rubber trees as it happened in the South America, originally it has been the world center of natural rubber production but completely lost its stand due to epiphytotic.
At present we see phito -sanitary quarantine there and individuals being in contact with hevea in the South America are not recommended to visit countries of the Southeast Asia. Fungus spores are being preserved on the human skin and clothes. Scientists are of the opinion that fungus parasite to crop up in the South-Eastern countries housing the world's leading natural rubber producers is just a matter of time. The UN Security Council classified Microcyclus ulei, as the type of the new biological weapon [2].
2. The year of 2024 must see development of up to 10 million hectares of the new rubber plantations. This level of hevea plantations enlargement will have a catastrophic effect on the biological diversity of the South-Eastern Asia [1].
Thus, reserve, additional, alternative plants as rubber source are needed in the area of temperate climate where hevea is not able to get adapted. Dandelion kok-saghyz is such a perspective producer of natural rubber. Natural rubber derived from kok-saghyz roots does not concede in quality the standard hevea rubber [3]. Moreover, the natural rubber of kok-saghyz has some advantages over hevea natural rubber as it does not contain allergenic which are characteristic to natural rubber of hevea [4].
Kok-saghys (Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin) — is a perennial herbaceous of Dandelion, Astra family (Asteraceae), rubber producent. The centers of kok-saghyz origin are Kazakh inter mountain valleys of the South-Eastern Kazakhstan Tyan Shan. Kok-saghyz as rubber producent was discovered in 1932 by the botanist L.E. Rodin. Complex and peculiar soil and climatic conditions of the natural habitat of kok-saghyz conditioned a great variety of kok-saghyz inherited forms. The center of kok -saghys intraspecific diversity is located in Kazakhstan [5-7].
In the origin center kok-saghyz one can come across with some of its forms with the highest rubber content in its roots (16 - 27%), and it is needed to say that other ecological conditions see decrease of rubber content [8].
In the Soviet Union kok-saghyz have been cultivated by the middle of 1950’s, however, after synthetic rubber was discovered and the blockade of industrial hevea plantations of the Southeast Asia was lifted up the research of kok-saghyz was stopped. From the beginning of the XXI century due to the threats of hevea plantations and to the world natural rubber market, the research on kok-saghyz was renewed and now is aimed at the development of its industrial plantations in the USA, European Union, Russia, Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan [9,10].
Kok-saghyz is basically used as biennial culture with high costs of cultivation. Development of early ripening kok-saghyz became the problem of the day. Early ripening variety is blossoming and yields in June, intensive growth processes are in the favorable conditions by humidity and temperature in spring and in early summer before strong summer heat and drought start. The expenditures on early ripening variety of kok-saghyz cultivation are decreasing greatly.
Based on the above presumptions the project sets the following aims and tasks.
The Project aim. To develop the prototype variety of the early ripening kok-saghyz (Taraxacum kok-saghyz) – based on the study of intra-species polymorphism of genotype selection with short vegetation period, their cloning micro propagation and production of elite seed material..
Tasks: Individual selection of plant forms, combining early ripening criteria (June) with biological strength; cloning of the best selected plant forms; production of original plant seeds of cloned generation; winter sowing of original seeds, secondary selection for the criteria of early ripening, production of elite seeds; application of family selection for production of early ripening kok-saghyz prototype.
Examination of the Kazakh natural populations, replenishment of genetic seeds bank; cooperation with botanical gardens and genetic banks; taking actions for preservation of kok-saghyz which is a rare, valuable type of plant.
Technical approach and methodology. Research methodology includes application of botanical, agronomical, chemical, and biotechnical and selection methods. There will be used selection method of individual, family selection which has been recommended in 1946 by kok-saghyz breeder K.Mynbayev [8]. These project applicants added to Mynbayev's method micro clonal propagation technology to reduce the period of variety production.
As per Mynbayev one of the most important task of kok-saghyz selection is development of kok-saghyz variety which is able to complete the cycle of biological development during one vegetation period (from seeding to seed collection) and those to have large roots [8].
For the selection of early ripening kok-saghyz variety we shall use Kazakh variety of kok-saghyz earlier developed by us called «Saryzhas» which is characterized as a source of economically useful traits. «Saryzhas» variety has high interspecies polymorphism by the period of blossoming (includes early, medium and late ripening genotypes) and by other biological traits Genetic seeds bank will be replenished in compliance with international standards [14].
Seed propagation, plant material produce, micro clonal propagation will be carried out in compliance with innovational patents of this project authors [ 15-17].
