Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Unit Labs

Vision:

The Plant Biology Laboratory aspires to be a scientific and research hub like other sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences, providing sufficient information and knowledge for the cultivation and propagation of medicinal and aromatic plants using plant tissue culture technology. It also aims to enhance the academic levels of undergraduate and graduate students by following fundamental and scientific methods for the evaluation, cultivation, propagation, and diagnosis of medically effective compounds in plants.

Message:

1. Establish workshops and training courses related to the cultivation and propagation of medicinal and aromatic plants outside the living organism.

2. Supervise the experiments of researchers in this field among graduate students.

3. Raise awareness among undergraduate students about the importance of plant tissue culture technology, which provides job opportunities for unemployed youth, in addition to the nutritional and medicinal importance of medicinal plants for the individual in Iraq.

Objectives:

1. Train graduate students in the technology of plant tissue culture for medicinal and aromatic plants.

2. Facilitate the implementation of research by students and researchers in the field of plant tissue culture for medicinal and aromatic plants.

3. Study the medical and aromatic aspects enhanced by plant tissue culture and obtain accurate data on extracted substances.

The laboratory specializes in the field of medicinal plants. It is capable of conducting experiments related to the analysis of active compounds in medicinal plants, such as extracting essential oils from various types of aromatic plants containing volatile oils, as well as fixed oils using a Soxhlet apparatus. Additionally, the laboratory can determine total phenols, chlorophyll, and other components.

Special experiments can also be conducted in the field of extracting medicinal plants and determining some active substances, such as the extraction of essential oils. The laboratory is equipped with various devices, including electric heaters, an electronic mixer, a Spectrophotometer, a cell content mixer, a shaking water bath, a magnetic stirrer, a centrifuge, an ultrasonic extraction device, an electronic balance, a Soxhlet apparatus, a rotary evaporator, and a modern electronic grinder.

The laboratory was established in 2011 to benefit graduate students and faculty members.

Vision:

The Laboratory of Computerized Analysis at the College of Agricultural Engineering aspires to provide laboratory services to postgraduate students and researchers in the lab to complete the extraction processes of medicinal plants for field or laboratory research.

Message:

1. Establish workshops and training courses in the field of extracting active compounds.

2. Supervise researchers’ experiments in the field of medicinal plants.

3. Provide employment opportunities for graduates of the College of Agricultural Engineering by integrating them into the job market through the utilization of medicinal extracts in the production of medical and cosmetic products.

Objectives:

1. Prepare graduates with experience in using laboratory equipment and conducting experiments.

2. Contribute to overcoming difficulties faced by researchers in the college or university.

3. Contribute to the development of scientific research to reach the level of research in advanced countries.

4. Guide researchers and provide advice in their research experiments.

5. Obtain support from the college dean for the direct connection of the Medicinal Plants Research Unit to the dean’s office.

6. Conduct numerous scientific research projects that are significant in improving human health and aligning with the latest scientific research worldwide.

7. Support scientific departments with their research needs related to medicinal and aromatic plants.

8. Provide consultations and answer most questions from researchers, faculty, and postgraduate students.

9. Meet the needs of postgraduate students for the available equipment in our unit to complete their practical research.

10. Fulfill one of the essential lessons for undergraduate students in the Horticulture Department, the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants course, by utilizing our labs and fields to enhance the scientific material.

11. Assist undergraduate students in conducting activities related to their other courses or graduation research by using drying equipment and other devices.

The laboratory specializes in the field of meaty fungi, their propagation, and the identification of wild species in the Iraqi environment. Additionally, it focuses on finding the best methods for cultivating them on the parent farm, testing optimal cultivation media for production purposes. Experiments can be conducted to determine the best growth medium for the parent farm and the best medium for fruiting body production. Furthermore, experiments can be carried out to analyze the content of fruiting bodies and farm residues for enzymes and secondary compounds.

Specialized experiments in the cultivation of fungi can also be conducted, such as identifying the best medium for the growth of a specific genus of meaty fungi. The laboratory is equipped with an incubator with heating and cooling capabilities, a sterilization apparatus, a cultivation cabinet, a nurturing room equipped with a split system to control temperature and humidity, and a production room equipped with a split system and a humidity supply device. Additionally, a shaker is available for use.

The laboratory was established in 2010, benefiting graduate students and faculty members.

Vision:

The mushroom production laboratory aspires to be a scientific and research source similar to other sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering. This involves providing sufficient information and knowledge for the production of edible and medicinal mushrooms, along with methods of propagation. The laboratory also aims to elevate the academic levels of undergraduate and postgraduate students for diagnosing edible fungal species, distinguishing them from toxic ones, and exploring the possibilities of propagating various types. Field experiments are conducted to assess the adaptability of these fungi within the conditions of Iraq, alongside other plant species.

Message:

1. Establish workshops and training courses dedicated to the production of edible mushrooms for researchers.

2. Supervise the experiments of researchers in the field of mushroom production, particularly among postgraduate students.

3. Raise awareness among youth about the importance of edible mushrooms, emphasizing their employment opportunities for unemployed youth, as well as their nutritional and medicinal value for Iraqi consumers.

Objectives:

1. Provide high-quality vaccines with previously tested productivity for postgraduate students and researchers.

2. Develop alternative agricultural environments to commercial ones with low production costs.

3. Offer scientific and structural consultations and feasibility studies to encourage youth to work in this field, highlighting the financial and nutritional benefits provided by mushroom farming.