BIOMASS AND CAFFEOYL PHENOLS PRODUCTION OF<i>ECHINACEA PURPUREA</i>GROWN IN TAIWAN

Abstract

SUMMARY Echinacea purpurea has been introduced in to Taiwan and grown successfully. However, information regarding the effects of the growing climate on its active constituents (e.g. caffeoyl derivatives) and biomass production is very limited. In this study the biomass of field-grown E. purpurea plants harvested during three different crop seasons was compared. The content of caffeoyl phenols and the production of aerial plant parts were also assayed. The results indicated that both morphological and agronomic traits were affected by crop season, with spring-grown plants producing more stems and flowers but fewer leaves than autumn-grown plants. Autumn-grown plants produced more caffeoyl phenols, particularly cichoric acid and caftaric acid, in leaf and flower tissues than spring grown plants. Thus, transplanting E. purpurea seedlings in the autumn and harvesting the aerial parts at the beginning of winter first, and then harvesting the rhizome-regenerated plants again in the following summer are technically feasible. This farming system would give commercial cultivation of E. purpurea in Taiwan a great competitive advantage over other growing regions, provided that an environmentally suitable population is selected and established in Taiwan.