Volume 13, Issue 4, 2014, Pages 185-198
[Ocena plonowania i wartości biologicznej estragonu (Artemisia dracunculus L.) w uprawie na zbiór peczkowy]
University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
Abstract
The biological value
of fresh and dried spice material is strongly influenced by climatic and
agronomic conditions as well as by genetic and ontogenetic factors. In
the available scientific literature, few publications present the
problems of growing herbal plants
for direct consumption and discuss the biological value of fresh herbal
material. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the
yield and quality of tarragon herb grown for bunching depending on plant
density (20 × 20 cm and 30 × 30 cm) and harvest date (beginning of July
and beginning of September). This study was conducted during the period
2010-2012 at the Experimental Station of the Department of Vegetable
Crops and Medicinal Plants, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, in south-east region of Poland (51°14'N 22°34'E). In fresh plant
material, the contents of L-ascorbic acid, chlorophyll, carotenoids and
essential oil were determined, while the contents of essential oil,
tannins and flavonoids were determined in leaf herbage. The yield of
tarragon herb grown for bunching was dependent on the plant density and harvest date as well as their interaction. Plants
grown at lower density and harvested during the early summer period
were characterized by better yield parameters compared to the other
treatments. Tarragon herb harvested at the beginning of July was
characterized by higher concentrations of L-ascorbic acid, chlorophyll
a, b and a + b, flavonoids and essential oil as well as a lower content
of tannins than the plant
material harvested at the beginning of September. The carotenoid content
in tarragon herb was not dependent on the factors studied, with their
significant interaction. In growing tarragon for bunching, lower plant
density can be recommended, since it contributes to high herb and
essential oil yields. The beginning of July proved to be a more
favourable time for harvesting tarragon grown for bunching than the
beginning of September due to the quantity and biological value of
tarragon yield and essential oil yield.
Author keywords
Chemical composition; Essential oil yield; Fresh herbs; Harvest date; Plant density
ISSN: 16440692Source Type: Journal
Original language: English, Polish
Document Type: Article
Publisher: Wydawnictwo Akad Rolniczej W Lublinie