Technological improvement of Echinacea purpurea cultivation

Abstract

Echinacea purpurea is a unique plant of the North American flora. One of the reasons for the popularity of the herb is the possibility of its use to treat a multitude of diseases caused by a weakened immune system. The purpose of the research was to improve the technological support of Echinacea cultivation under irrigated conditions of the south of Ukraine. The scheme of three-factor field experiment was presented by the options of technological measures listed below: moldboard and non-moldboard methods of basic tillage to a depth of 20–22 cm; seeds processing with Ahrostymulin plant growth regulator compared to the untreated control; three sowing periods, including 3rd decade of March, as well as 1st and 2nd decades of April. Among the various combinations of the basic tillage methods and the sowing module elements, the yield of rhizomes and roots of Echinacea was maximal (2.58 t/ha) in the variant of plowing at the depth of 20–22 cm, seeds treatment with Ahrostymulin, sowing in the 3rd decade of March. The combination of such gradations of investigated factors provided the highest content of extractives in the Echinacea roots at the level of 30.2% and their conditional output of 779 kg/ha. In this option, the maturation of roots was observed at the earliest time, which is important in the technological context for both Echinacea harvesting and soil preparation for the next crop cultivation. Introduction of the best options for each of the studied factors in the technology of Echinacea cultivation will ensure a combination of their positive effects and creation of a favorable agronomic background for the formation of rhizomes and roots with a high content of extractives.