New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Planting density effects on root yield of purple coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench)
G. A. PARMENTER
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 50 034
Mosgiel, New Zealand
R. P. LITTLEJOHN
New Zealand Pastoral Agriculture
Research Institute Limited
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 50 034
Mosgiel, New Zealand
Abstract Dried root of the medicinal plant Echinacea
purpurea (L.) Moench is used as an immune stimulant. Evidence from initial
field trials in New Zealand suggested that root yield may be improved by
planting at higher densities than commonly used. Plants were grown in raised
beds 1.5 m wide at densities ranging from 1.5 to 65 plants/m of bed. Maximum
root yield after two seasons of growth was c. 30 g/plant at the lowest
densities, reducing to 5 g/plant at the highest densities. Maximum yields of
260 g/m of bed were achieved at densities of c. 20 plants/m of bed with no
change at higher densities. Root yield as a percentage of root + rhizome yield
increased from 45 to 65% as plant size diminished with increasing density.
Changes in root:rhizome ratio with plant density are likely to affect
alkylamide concentration.
Keywords purple coneflower; Echinacea purpurea;
planting density; root yield; alkylamide
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1997, Vol. 25:
169-175
0114-0671/97/2502-0169 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1997
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (459K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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