{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T15:55:07Z","timestamp":1788537307792,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,24]],"date-time":"2023-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1692835200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds","award":["DMR1-0014355"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DMR1-0014355"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Molecular DNA barcoding combined with botanical taxonomy can be used for the identification and conservation of collected Greek orchids used for salep production as well as in the regulation of fair salep trade. A modified CTAB protocol was used for DNA extraction, amplification of barcoding regions (ITS, matK, rbcL, trnH-psbA), and sequencing. Sequencing data were assembled using Bioedit software, and the BLAST algorithm was used on the NCBI database for species identification at the genus level. Molecular barcoding data based on genetic similarity identification was in full coherence with taxonomic classification based on morphological data. The combination of ITS and matK exhibited a greater capacity to identify a species among the Greek salep samples. Out of the 53 samples examined, 52.9% were classified as Dactylorhiza spp. and 33.3% as Anacamptis spp., whereas only 6 samples were identified as Orchis spp. (11.8%). Given that a superior-quality salep beverage comes from tubers of the latter, the number of samples classified as such in northwestern Greece is unexpectedly low. A database of 53 original reference sequences from wild-growing samples of Greek origin was generated, providing a valuable resource for the identification of other salep samples from different regions. The DNA barcoding results unveiled that salep samples from northwestern Greece are related to nine members of four different genera of Orchidaceae. All species are nationally protected and covered by the CITES convention, while many of these orchids are included in the EU Directive 92\/43\/EEC appendix as \u201cOther Important Species\u201d. Thus, expedited coordinated management actions are needed to ensure their survival in the future.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants12173038","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,24]],"date-time":"2023-08-24T10:09:53Z","timestamp":1692871793000},"page":"3038","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Taxonomic Identification and Molecular DNA Barcoding of Collected Wild-Growing Orchids Used Traditionally for Salep Production"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7940-3819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aphrodite","family":"Tsaballa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-4057-2760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George","family":"Kelesidis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3552-4317","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nikos","family":"Krigas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Virginia","family":"Sarropoulou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Panagiotis","family":"Bagatzounis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"\u2018Spices Bagatzounis\u2019 Company: El Greco, Natural Herbs & Teas, Vatero, 50100 Kozani, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8000-9982","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katerina","family":"Grigoriadou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.11646\/phytotaxa.261.3.1","article-title":"The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase","volume":"261","author":"Christenhusz","year":"2016","journal-title":"Phytotaxa"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2023, March 07). 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