The 2010 ASHS Annual Conference

Objective(s):
The objective of this workshop is to discuss the current status of medicinal plants of Asian origin in the United States and Asian countries, and to identify opportunities and priorities for future research and development of these crops.

The broad ranges of geographic and climate across Asia have made it one of the most horticulturally dynamic regions in the world.  Asia has a long history of agriculture and using medicinal plants, however, few medicinal species have been cultivated until recently.  Because of the promising potential for developing new drugs from medicinal plants, there have been increased interests in the cultivation of medicinal plants as high value crops. In this workshop, experts from Asian countries and the U.S. will discuss the current status of medicinal plants of Asian origin and the opportunities and priories for future research and development of these crops.  The scope will include the domestication, medicinal use and/or nutritional value, genetic resources, and production practices. The limitations and challenges in the cultivation and use of these plants will also be discussed. In addition, this workshop will also identify collaborative opportunities for future development and commercialization of these crops in Asia and other parts of the world.