Influence Of Hydroalcoholic Solution On Phytochemical And Growth Yield In Echinacea Purpurea L.

Echinacea purpurea L. is an herbaceous perennial plant that is native to eastern North America and is beneficial to the immune system. This study was conducted at the Institute of Medicinal Plants, to determine the effects of foliar applications of hydro-alcoholic solutions on purple coneflower. This experiment was conducted in (RCBD) with eleven treatments and three replications. The treatments of this study include: control (without distilled water), ethanol and methanol aqueous solutions with 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% (v/v). The maximums for plant height, leaf dry weight, capitulum dry weight, capitulum per plant, root dry weight were obtained using a solution of 40% methanol. In addition, the maximums for leaf area and chlorophyll content (SPAD) were obtained by using a solution of 30% methanol. High amount of seed weight per plant was obtained by using a solution of 50% methanol. Also, the content of chicoric acid of shoot was found at 40% ethanol solutions. The high amount of total flavonoid of shoot, content of chicoric acid in the root and total flavonoid of root were observed at 50% ethanol solutions. In general, the results indicated that foliar application of hydro-alcoholic solutions such as methanol and ethanol can be used as a carbon source and a bio-stimulator to improve quantity and quality of phytochemical and growth response in purple coneflower.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the Institute of medicinal plants (ACECR) for their assistance.

References: [1] Sandra CM (2004) Echinacea. The genus Echinacea: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Industrial Profiles. 39: 271.