Samaneh Asadisanam; Mohsen Zavareh; Hematolah Pirdashti; Fatemeh Sefidkon; Ghorban Ali Nemat Zadeh
Abstract
Purple conefloweras top-selling medicinal plant is widely used in Europe and North America for the treatment of common cold. This experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design in split plot arrangement with three replications in Research Farm of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology ...
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Purple conefloweras top-selling medicinal plant is widely used in Europe and North America for the treatment of common cold. This experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design in split plot arrangement with three replications in Research Farm of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan in 2012-13. Experimental treatments included three transplanting dates (April 9, May 9 and June 8, 2013), and three plant population densities (7, 10 and 16 plant/m2) which considered as main and subplots, respectively. Results showed a relative compensatory effect of higher population density until 10 plants/m2, however, delayed planting resulted to decrease in total shoot, leaf (L) and stem (S) dry weights. It represents that the highest flower (F) dry weight (27.1 g/plant) was related to planting on May 9 with 10 plant/m2 density. Ratio of L/shoot was greater than S/Shoot than F/shoot dry weight. The highest (L+F)/Shoot ratio was related to the April and May planting dates while the highest S/Shoot ratio was related June’s planting date. Maximum total phenol content of leaves (51.1 mg of GAE/ g dry matter) and stems (35.9 mg of GAE/ g dry matter) were measured in plants cultivated on April 9 with a density of 10 plant/m2. The highest total phenolic content of flowers (56.5 mg of GAE/ g dry matter) was determined in plants cultivated on May 9 with a density of 10 plant/m2. Total phenol of flowers was greater in leaves than stems. Overall, it could be concluded that early planting of purple coneflower on April 9 with 10 plant/m2 density was suitable for leaf and stem dry weight and total phenol production, while the delayed planting until May 9 with a population density of 10 plant/m2 was favorite for flower as production of dry weight and total phenol, according to the experiment conditions