Research Center for Plant Sciences

The Herbarium of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUMH) was established in 1981, with the aim of studying the Khorassan Flora. It was extended to a ‌Botany Research Department after a decade of activity, in 1991. In 2000, due to the research objectives of the University, the plan of developing department into a Research Center for Plant Sciences was ratified and the Center preceded its activities as an independent center with three research departments namely Botany, Legumes and Ornamental plants. Eventually, the establishment of the Research Center for Plant Sciences was approved in February 2005.

This Center collaborates closely with several institutes and organizations on research and training such as Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Environment, Iran Meteorological Organization, Science and Technology Parks, Faculties of Sciences, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources of FUM, Medical University of Mashhad, Islamic Azad University, Tehran University, Tarbiat Moallem and Payame Noor Universities, University of Applied Science and Technology, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR, Jehad Daneshgahi), Ministry of Education and some other private companies.

Aims and objectives

• Survey of plant biodiversity in Khorassan (Northeast and East of Iran) (Botany)
• Collection and identification of vascular flora of Khorassan
• Biosystematic survey of the plants in Khorassan
• Analysis of vegetation in Khorassan
• Phytogeographical analysis of Khorassan
• Collection and identification of Bryophytes, Fungi and Lichen flora of Khorassan
• Conservation of plant biodiversity of Khorassan (Botany)
• Identification and conservation of plant diversity hot spots in Khorassan
• Conservation assessment of endemic and threatened plants
• Seed banking of endemic and threatened plants
• Establishment of botanical garden
• Application of different aspects for plant biodiversity of Khorassan (Botany)
• Ethnobotanic studies in Khorassan
• Assessment of Crop Wild Relatives
• Diversity and ecology of invasive and alien plants

Activities

• Collection, identification, classification of about 60000 plant specimens in the Herbarium of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad recorded as ‘FUMH’ in Index Herbariorum (Botany)
• Foundation of a special library for botanical literature in the herbarium (Botany)
• Creating a database for the flora of Khorassan (Botany)
• More than 20 research projects on the flora and vegetation of Khorassan (Botany)
• Publication of 130 research papers (Botany)
• Publication of 7 books on botany and plant taxonomy (Botany)
• Recording 549 new plant species for the flora of Khorassan and 84 new ones for Iran (Botany)
• Discovery and description of 48 new plant taxa for the world (Botany)
• Preliminary planning for the establishment of the botanical garden in the university campus (Botany)
• Strategic planning for botanical research in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (Botany)
• Establishment of the pulses seed bank with over 1000 chickpea and 500 lentil seed samples (Legumes)
• Performing the First National Pulse Crops Symposium in Iran; 2005 (Legumes)
• Establishment of the first scientific journal of pulses entitled : Iranian Journal of Pulses Research (Legumes)
• Collaboration in organizing the 1^st international and 2^nd national ornamental plant congress, Mashhad, Iran 2016 (ornamental plants)

Research Facilities

• Herbarium of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad recorded as ‘FUMH’ in Index Herbarium, contain about 60000 plant specimens
• Special library for botanical literature in the herbarium
• Database of Khorasan native plants
• Pulses seed bank with over 1000 chickpea and 500 lentil seed samples
• Tissue culture lab
• Physiology lab
• Biotechnology lab
• Greenhouse
• Trial field
• Iranian Journal of Pulses Research; A Biannually Scientific Journal
  

Current Major Projects


• Collection, identification and Biosystematics’ survey of vascular flora of Khorassan
• Botanical survey of plant biodiversity in Khorassan
• Phytogeographical analysis of vegetation in Khorassan
• Conservation of plant biodiversity of Khorassan especially in hot spots
• Conservation assessment of endemic and threatened plants
• Seed banking of endemic and threatened plants
• Application of different aspects for plant biodiversity; Ethnobotanical studies,  Assessment of Crop Wild Relatives, invasive and alien plants
• Investigation of agronomic, echo-physiologic and genetic characteristics of legumes in order to improve and sustain the yield
• Investigation of different aspects for nitrogen fixation by legumes
• Applying biotechnology to improve the quantitative and qualitative traits in legumes
• Studying the effect of biotic and abiotic stresses on the yield and production of legumes, and breeding the stresses tolerant varieties
• Cooperation with other research and executive organizations in order to introduce proper legume varieties, adapted to the environmental conditions of the region
• Domestication of the wild ornamental plants especially Allium, Tulip and Eremurus species; adaptation and introduction of new ornamental plants
• Establishment of the propagation protocols for the native ornamental plants
• Improving quality of ornamental plants production exposed to abiotic stress conditions
• Quality improvement in ornamental plants and their production methods  using biotechnological methods
• Investigation of the probability of reproducing implants for crossbred ornamental plants through developing new combinations More
  

Director of the Research Center for Plant Sciences

	Saeid Malekzadeh Shafaroudi
	Associate Professor
	Department of Crop Biotechnology and Breeding
	malekzadeh-s@um.ac.ir
	+985138804800

Contact Information

Iran, Mashhad, Azadi Square, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Research Center for Plant Sciences

Phone: +985138804816

Phone: +985138804801

Website: rcps@um.ac.ir

Fax: +985138807024