Characteristics of Selected Silphium Species as Alternative Plants for Cultivation and Industry with Particular Emphasis on Research Conducted in Poland: A Review

Grażyna Kowalska, Tomasz Baj, Radosław Kowalski and Muhammad Asif Hanif
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Grażyna Kowalska: Department of Tourism and Recreation, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 15 Akademicka Str., 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Tomasz Baj: Department of Pharmacognosy with the Medicinal Plant Garden, Medical University in Lublin, 1 Chodźki Str., 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Radosław Kowalski: Department of Analysis and Food Quality Assessment, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 8 Skromna Str., 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Muhammad Asif Hanif: Nano and Biomaterials Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-56

Abstract: This article reviews the available research results of selected species of the genus Silphium L. (Asteraceae) as alternative plants for crops and industry. Silphium species have valuable qualities across a wide range of uses, which is very important in considering plant resources as a green alternative to a sustainable future. Species of the genus Silphium are tall perennials found in fields, prairies, open forests, and groves in the central and eastern parts of the United States and Canada. Various tribes of Native North American used Silphium for medicinal purposes. The cup plant Silphium perfoliatum L. is the most popular species of the genus Silphium due to its attractive ornamental, honey–giving, healing, and forage qualities. As the literature review shows, species of the genus Silphium are characterized by a high production potential in terms of yields and contain significant amounts of nutrients, i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, and L-ascorbic acid, as well as minerals and biologically active substances, e.g., terpenoids and essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and oleanosides. In addition, the research confirmed the possibility of using Silphium for fodder, as honeybee forage, phytoremediation plants, for reclamation of degraded land, as plants for energy purposes (biomass, biogas), and as plants that provide components with antimicrobial activity. This review largely takes into account many years of research experience conducted in Poland.

Keywords: Silphium L.; sustainable development; alternative plants; plants with multidirectional utility potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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