Pilot Cultivation of the Local Endemic Cretan Marjoram Origanum microphyllum (Benth.) Vogel (Lamiaceae): Effect of Fertilizers on Growth and Herbal Quality Features

Wild phytogenetic resources are threatened by overexploitation. This pressure on species and natural ecosystems can be alleviated in part by recruiting and domesticating wild-growing species under pilot cultivation with tailor-made fertilization schemes. This study focused on the pilot cultivation o...

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Published in:Agronomy (Basel) 2022-01, Vol.12 (1), p.94
Main Authors: Fanourakis, Dimitrios, Paschalidis, Konstantinos, Tsaniklidis, Georgios, Tzanakakis, Vasileios A., Bilias, Fotis, Samara, Eftihia, Liapaki, Eleftheria, Jouini, Manal, Ipsilantis, Ioannis, Maloupa, Eleni, Tsoktouridis, Georgios, Matsi, Theodora, Krigas, Nikos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
antioxidant
Antioxidants
biostimulant
Carotenoids
Chlorophyll
Collections
Crop diseases
Crops
Cultivation
Endangered plants
Endangered species
Endemic plants
Experiments
Fertilization
Fertilizers
Flavonoids
Fluorescence
Foliar applications
Greece
Harvest
Herbal medicine
herbal quality
Leaves
Nutrient content
Origanum
Overexploitation
Phenols
Plant growth
Seeds
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Summary:Wild phytogenetic resources are threatened by overexploitation. This pressure on species and natural ecosystems can be alleviated in part by recruiting and domesticating wild-growing species under pilot cultivation with tailor-made fertilization schemes. This study focused on the pilot cultivation of Origanum microphyllum—a critically endangered local endemic plant of Crete, Greece—investigating the effect of conventional and integrated nutrient management (ΙΝΜ) fertilizers by foliar or root application and biostimulant. Above-ground biomass together with leaf chlorophyll fluorescence and color (SPAD meter, DA meter, Chroma Meter) were determined. Leaf chlorophyll, antioxidant compound (carotenoids, phenols, flavonoids), and nutrient contents were also assessed. The results showed that fertilization did not significantly affect plant growth and leaf nutrient content. Root fertilization was associated with greener leaves compared to foliar. The same trend was generally evident for antioxidant compound content. The small size of leaves may have impeded the efficiency of the foliar application. In conclusion, root application of conventional or INM fertilizers seems more suitable to promote visual quality and herbal antioxidant profile of O. microphyllum, than the foliar one.
ISSN:2073-4395
2073-4395
DOI:10.3390/agronomy12010094