Evaluation of Chemical Composition of Some Silphium L. Species as Alternative Raw Materials

Grażyna Kowalska, Urszula Pankiewicz and Radosław Kowalski
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Grażyna Kowalska: Department of Tourism and Recreation, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 15 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Urszula Pankiewicz: Department of Analysis and Evaluation of Food Quality, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 8 Skromna Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Radosław Kowalski: Department of Analysis and Evaluation of Food Quality, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 8 Skromna Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The chemical composition of three Silphium species in the aspect of the possibility of their use for various purposes has been evaluated. The plant material of three Silphium species ( S. perfoliatum , S. trifoliatum and S. integrifolium ) was acquired from cultivation located in eastern Poland. The vegetative propagating material consisted of seeds and rhizomes. Content of protein (up to 22.9% in leaves of S. perfoliatum ), amino acids (aspartic acid—up to 12.0%, glutamic acid—up to 9.5%, and leucine—up to 9.4%), fat (up to 4.2% in inflorescences of S. perfoliatum ), cellulose (up to 42.9% in stems of S. trifoliatum ), water-soluble sugars (up to 26.7% in rhizomes of S. perfoliatum ) and mineral substances (ash up to 20.9% in stems of S. integrifolium , with significant levels of elements such as K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn) in the tested Silphium species can be an important criterion determining a positive evaluation of these plants as sources of alternative raw materials. The conducted research is meant to draw attention to the possibility of use of the biomass of three Silphium species as a potential source of ecological and renewable raw material for food, pharmaceuticals, feed and possibly also for energy generation purposes.

Keywords: Silphium L.; Silphium perfoliatum L.; Silphium trifoliatum L.; Silphium integrifolium Michx.; chemical composition; alternative plants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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