Rare/ A new type of Saffron, newly discovered in Albania

Entela Resuli
For those who live and work in urban centers, the life of the boy we spoke to today would be envied. His work and passion is to discover rare plants and flowers in Albania. He travels to the mountains, especially in spring when nature bursts into bloom and he searches for flowers worth studying.
Donald Dhuka is the son of biologist, Lulëzim Shuka. From here we understand where he inherited his love for nature and plants. His father, a professor, is one of the most famous discoverers and researchers of plants in Albania.

Donald, who has traveled with his father to the meadows since he was little, today does so in the role of researcher.

Recently, he is part of a group of researchers who have discovered a new type of saffron, endemic to Albania.
Working as a researcher, in addition to passion, also requires expenses, which these people who deal with this work have difficulty providing, since the appreciation for them is almost zero even though they do a rare job.
Donald also works as a visiting lecturer at the University of Vlora, but this is not a normal employment. The results of his studies are in collaboration with Germans, some colleagues from Croatia and Denmark, since in our country, it is difficult to appreciate the passion and work of this young professor.

Let's get into the topic.

Bachofen's saffron crocus bachofenii

A group of botanists, led by Prof. Doerte Harpke, curator and specialist in Saffron Genetics, at the Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Cultivated Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany, have completed part of the study on the natural saffrons of Albania, announcing the presence of a new saffron species for science, endemic to Albania and previously unknown, which they have named Crocus bachofenii D. Shuka, Raca, and Harpkesp. nov., or Bakofen's saffron in Albanian.

We met with the lead author of the new discovery, PhD student MSc. Donald Shuka to learn more about this discovery and saffron in general.

-Donald, what does this new saffron represent, when was it discovered and where does it grow?
As a Mediterranean country, Albania is distinguished by a rich flora, although it remains very little studied. As part of my doctoral studies, in my thesis, I have focused on rare and endangered plant species in the Berat-Korça mountainous area, with the aim of deepening knowledge in several specific genera, one of which is that of Crocus (Crocus L.). In collaboration with the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics in Germany, I and the working group I am part of are genetically scanning all the saffrons of the Balkans, where our country remains a paradise of these species. The results of the 4-year work published in the journal PLANTS, present only those of the Verni series saffrons, which also resulted in the discovery of the Bakofen saffron (Crocus bachofenii), which has its center of distribution in the Malin me Gropa (Linos), Bjeshkë e Oroshi and Lura, and less in the south of the country (around the Shkumbini springs) or in the north, on the Zeba mountain.

-What is the significance of this discovery?
The discovery sheds light on the floristic diversity of saffrons, their origin and their genetic wealth. Specifically, the genetic scan of all species of the Verni series for our country has been completed, which now includes a total of 6 species out of 4 known so far. The study also includes a species known in neighboring countries but which was already discovered in our country, bringing the number of this series to 6 species. The study managed to build the genetic library of the new saffron and shed light on its origin. Genetically, so far it turns out that this saffron originates from Crocus vernus (one parent) and no other parent was found, which we think is located somewhere in an area within Albania or in neighboring countries, the parent which remains unknown so far, or is an extinct species.

Bachofen's saffron (Crocus bachofenii) blooms in April or May, depending on the time and altitude, creating a blue-violet landscape in the meadows and pastures of the habitat. The properties or biochemical composition of its petals and pistils are not yet known, and its useful values ??are still unknown.

-Why did you give this saffron a foreign name and not an Albanian one?
In naming plants, geographical names are usually given, names that match the morphology of the species or that are related to the discovery or contribution in this field, while naming this saffron with the family name of Professor Reinhard Bachofen is about respect and gratitude to this scientist, who for around 25 years has contributed to increasing the quality of scientific-teaching analysis, especially in the implementation of scientific projects on the quality of river waters and the water of Bovilla in Albania, for the assistance provided in establishing several laboratories at the Faculty of Natural Sciences where I completed my studies, as well as in providing funds to specialize many teachers in the field of Chemistry and Biology in Switzerland. Professor Bachofen, through his acquaintances and connections and in cooperation with the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the SCOPES cooperation program, has provided financial support for 2-week trainings of about 6 groups of Albanian and Kosovo students, with more than 15 people per group, in Zurich and the Alpine Biology Center in Piora (Swiss Alps), during the years 2010-2023.
In the trainings held in August 2017, I was lucky enough to be part of the group of students from the Universities of Tirana, Vlora and Pristina in the trainings organized by Professor Reinhardi in Piora and Zurich. In this training, I, together with 2 other students, were guided by Prof. R. Bachofen in the experiment we conducted. It was this first meeting with Prof. Bachofen that began our cooperation, which continues to this day.

Moreover, the starting point for the discovery of this saffron was an unspecified collection of it collected by Prof. R. Bachofen and L. Shuka, during an expedition carried out in the Lura Valley on April 15, 2013 with students of the Biology department, Faculty of Science, University of Tirana.

These are the reasons why the new saffron was named after the family name of Prof. Bachofen, after a scientist and a simple man with a big heart, after a humanist who has tirelessly helped and helps Albanian universities and young researchers. Although he is over 90, he continues to work to help young people find funding for research, for which he has now created the 'Sylvia und Reinhard Bachofen' foundation, which helps young people financially to study in Switzerland. Now can you find me an Albanian who could have contributed to our country as much as Professor Reinhard Bachofen?

-What are the directions of your future studies and who is funding them?
I am currently focused on completing my doctoral thesis with a focus on endemic and endangered plants, delving into the genera Silene, Campanula, Centaurea, etc. As for funding, part of the field expeditions were supported by AKKSHI, while all genetic analyses and field transport were funded by German partners.

The Confession Room', an exclusive column of VoxNews.

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Prof bachofen me studentet ne alpet e zvicres 1

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Shafrani i bakofenit crocus bachofenii d shuka raca and harpke linos bize