Integrated Nutrient Management Boosts Inflorescence Biomass and Antioxidant Profile of Carlina diae (Asteraceae)—An Endangered Local Endemic Plant of Crete with Medicinal and Ornamental Value

Konstantinos Paschalidis, Dimitrios Fanourakis, Georgios Tsaniklidis, Ioannis Tsichlas, Vasileios A. Tzanakakis, Fotis Bilias, Eftihia Samara, Ioannis Ipsilantis, Katerina Grigoriadou, Theodora Matsi, Nikos Krigas and Georgios Tsoktouridis ()
Additional contact information
Konstantinos Paschalidis: Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Dimitrios Fanourakis: Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Georgios Tsaniklidis: Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), 73134 Chania, Greece
Ioannis Tsichlas: Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Vasileios A. Tzanakakis: Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Fotis Bilias: Soil Science Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Eftihia Samara: Soil Science Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ioannis Ipsilantis: Soil Science Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Katerina Grigoriadou: Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), P.O. Box 60458, 57001 Thermi, Greece
Theodora Matsi: Soil Science Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Nikos Krigas: Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), P.O. Box 60458, 57001 Thermi, Greece
Georgios Tsoktouridis: Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-DIMITRA), P.O. Box 60458, 57001 Thermi, Greece

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Due to the combined climate and biodiversity crisis, the sustainable utilization of phytogenetic resources stands as a one-way alternative, while nutrient management strategies are gaining an increasing role in agriculture. Building on previous studies regarding the Endangered local endemic of Crete (Greece) Carlina diae (Asteraceae), with medicinal and ornamental value, this investigation focused on its pilot cultivation and fertilization (foliar or soil application). Foliar application comprised inorganic fertilization (conventional) or integrated nutrient management (INM). Soil application consisted of conventional inorganic fertilizers, biostimulants, or INM with biostimulants. Above-ground biomass content of nutrients, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence, and color parameters (SPAD meter, DA meter, Chroma Meter) were estimated. The leaf chlorophyll content, three key antioxidant compounds, and nutrient titers were also determined. The fertilization scheme did not influence plant growth and visually perceived quality (leaf color and shape). Notably, foliar INM fertilization increased biomass partitioning to inflorescences (harvestable organs for either medicinal or ornamental purposes) and decreased tissue water content (facilitating processing). Considering all three antioxidants together, INM with biostimulant appeared the optimum scheme, being associated with the highest (carotenoids, phenolics) or the second highest (flavonoid) content. In C. diae , therefore, INM fertilization was optimal for upgrading yield (foliar) and herbal quality in terms of antioxidant profile (INM with biostimulant), which might be embraced as an eco-friendly approach for high-quality yields.

Keywords: INM; enhanced efficiency fertilizers; carotenoids; flavonoids; Greece; herbal quality; MAPs; phenols; biostimulant (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: 2024
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