Hiromu Nakao, a young researcher and doctoral student at the University of Tokyo in Japan, who studies genetic diversity and gene coding in populations of the moss species Marchantia polymorpha (common liverwort) found across various geographic areas of the Northern Hemisphere, visited the Institute of Botany PLE of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 

The purpose of the visit was to collect herbarium specimens from natural populations of Marchantia polymorpha growing in Azerbaijan's flora and to study them using modern molecular-genetic methods, together with Doctors of Philosophy in Biology, Associate Professors Aygun Mammadova and Arzu Huseynova of the Institute of Botany PLE. During a joint expedition to the Zaqatala district, samples were collected from natural populations of the species in the areas of Car and Gabizdara villages.

 

During the visit, Hiromu Nakao gave a scientific seminar at the Institute of Botany PLE. The seminar covered the global distribution of Marchantia polymorpha, the genetic diversity of its populations, and the main directions of the ongoing research, followed by an exchange of views with the scientists.

 

A scientific article is planned to be prepared based on the results of the joint research.