The Central Botanical Garden offers to cunsumers the technologies for developing lines of native Belarusian ornamental plants that are resistant to soil salinity and heavy metals created using cellular selection methods under a commercial agreement with technical assistance and/or a license agreement and is looking for partners to conclude a technical cooperation agreement.

Developing lines of native ornamental plants from Belarus that are resistant to soil salinity and heavy metals using cellular selection techniques represents a significant area of ​​focus within biotechnology and ecology.

Importance and Relevance:
1. Ecological rehabilitation of contaminated areas.
2. Green infrastructure development and landscaping.
3. Conservation of biodiversity.
4. Adaptation to climate change.
5. Economic benefits.
6. Scientific advancements and innovation:
- Cellular selection methods, such as tissue culture and somaclonal variation, enable the creation of plants with unique traits, including resistance to salinity and heavy metals.
7. International cooperation:
- Belarus can participate in international projects focused on phytoremediation and sustainable landscaping, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and attracting investment. Resilient plant lines can be integrated into restoration programs for contaminated sites in other countries.
8. Social impact:
- Establishing green spaces in contaminated areas improves the quality of life for the local population, reduces air and soil pollution, and enhances the aesthetic appeal of cities and towns. Based on an analysis of the species composition of areas with natural, highly ornamental vegetation—found along roads and within urban developments across all regions of the Republic of Belarus—the Central Botanical Garden has identified plant taxa suitable for large-scale urban landscaping. These include, among others, meadow cornflower ("Centaurea jacea"), dark mullein ("Verbascum nigrum"), common yarrow ("Achillea millefolium"), field scabious ("Knautia arvensis"), ribwort plantain ("Plantago lanceolata"), wild carrot ("Daucus carota"), tormentil ("Potentilla erecta"), and red clover ("Trifolium pratense").
Currently, the development of "green cities" focuses on understanding the patterns that govern the composition and structure of vegetation cover in environments that are extremely challenging for plant communities.
Data on the physiological, biochemical, and morphological status of individual species as well as the dynamics of plant communities under the influence of anthropogenic factors can serve as a foundation for optimizing existing roadside areas and designing ecologically balanced plant communities along transport corridors. There is an increasing need to expand the range of native Belarusian plant species those with high ornamental value that are also resilient to elevated concentrations of pollutants, such as sodium chloride and salts of lead, zinc, and cadmium.
Using modern biotechnological methods for cellular selection which are environmentally safe and leverage the natural variability inherent in plants researchers have developed microclones of various species (including dark mullein and meadow cornflower). These microclones exhibit resistance to high levels of industrial pollutants (lead, zinc, and cadmium) as well as soil salinity, making them well-suited for roadside landscaping. Two lines "Verbascum nigrum" (dark mullein) and "Centaurea jacea" (brown knapweed)—that are tolerant to soil salinity and heavy metals have been established in "in vitro" culture.

This information is included in the catalog "100 Best Developments of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for the National Economy (2022–2023)," published in 2024 (pp. 195–197).

The technology for developing microclones of native, highly ornamental plants—engineered to be resistant to heavy metals and soil salinity—will, when combined with standard roadside landscaping practices, help reduce the material resources required for roadside maintenance and enhance the quality of urban infrastructure.

A selection of native Belarusian plant species resistant to soil salinity and heavy metals has been developed. In vitro cultures of "Verbascum nigrum" (dark mullein) and "Centaurea jacea" (brownray knapweed) both resistant to salinity and heavy metals—are being maintained; these are ready for mass propagation for use in urban landscaping, particularly along roadsides. As a pilot project, the entrance area of ​​the State Museum of the History of Belarusian Literature (Minsk) was landscaped using this adapted plant material.

The Central Botanical Garden has completed R&D projects titled "Modern Approaches and Methods in Plant Introduction for the Conservation and Rational Use of Global and Regional Flora Resources" and "Assessment of Natural Resource Populations and Introduced Plants Based on Morphophysiological, Genetic, and Biochemical Parameters in the Context of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Habitat Transformation, Development of Biotechnological Methods for Their Conservation and Utilization."
The results of this research have been applied in the development of various technologies.

The Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus is the country’s leading and largest center for the conservation of plant biodiversity. It serves as a premier scientific institution specializing in plant introduction, acclimatization, physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, and ecology. Research and practical efforts in the field of plant introduction have resulted in the creation of a gene pool comprising over 15,000 varieties of ornamental and economically useful introduced plants.

In accordance with its Charter, the primary objective of the Central Botanical Garden is to conduct scientific research in areas including plant introduction, botany, physiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, landscape architecture, and phytodesign. It also focuses on the sustainable use and conservation of plant resources, as well as the preservation of the gene pool of the world’s flora.

The Central Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical institutions in Belarus. In 1999, by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, it was granted the status of a scientific site of national heritage. It is designated as a botanical natural monument of national significance and a site of historical and cultural value. Today, it stands as a unique landscape and garden site, serving both as a major landmark in the capital and as a vital center for cultural enrichment, environmental awareness, and education.

Key areas of scientific and technical activity include:
- The effective use, renewal, and conservation of plant resources;
- The identification of physiological and biochemical patterns and mechanisms that determine plant resilience and productivity;
- The development of scientific foundations for plant introduction, protection, and breeding, as well as the management of acclimatization processes and the biological productivity of economically useful plants—utilizing both traditional methods and modern techniques in biotechnology and genetic engineering. - biological monitoring, ecology;
- industrial botany;
- landscape gardening and phytodesign;
- utilization of plant resources in industry, agriculture, and medicine;
- addressing biosafety issues related to biological methods and technologies.

Key areas of focus for the Central Botanical Garden (CBG):
- developing scientific foundations and practical measures for the effective, sustainable use of plant resources within the nation’s economy and social sphere, as well as for the conservation of the gene pool of rare and endangered species and the habitats of the Belarusian flora.
- creating new, competitive varieties of ornamental, medicinal, aromatic, and bioenergy plants, along with original landscape design concepts for various settings, including interior spaces.
- developing efficient methods for the accelerated production of planting stock via *in vitro* culture, as well as techniques for identifying and protecting against bacterial and viral infections to ensure the production of disease-free (healthy) planting material.
- researching the genetic diversity of plants and plant communities, their habitats, and ecosystems, while addressing questions of systematics and taxonomy through both traditional and molecular-genetic approaches.

Official website of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Potential users interested in purchasing the technology for developing lines of native Belarusian ornamental plants resistant to soil salinity and heavy metals and created using cellular selection methods under a commercial agreement with technical assistance and/or a license agreement.

Potential partners interested in the further development and implementation of the technology for creating lines of native Belarusian ornamental plants resistant to soil salinity and heavy metals and developed using cellular selection methods under a technical cooperation agreement.