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Yield and quality of milk thistle raw material grown in monoculture and in crop rotation. Part 2
EXPERIMENTAL PAPERS
Yield and quality of milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L). Gaertn.) raw material
grown in monoculture and in crop rotation.
Part 2. Milk thistle reaction to potassium fertilization
JADWIGA ANDRZEJEWSKA*, ZBIGNIEW SKINDER
Department of Plant Cultivation
University of Technology and Life Sciences
ul. ks. A. Kordeckiego 20
85-225 Bydgoszcz, Poland
*corresponding author: phone: +48 52 3749472, fax: +48 52 3749441,
e-mail: [email protected]
Summary
Milk thistle grown on soil with average content of available potassium forms was treated
with the doses of 0 (without potassium fertilization), 70 and 140 kg . ha-1 K2O prior to
sowing. The content of potassium in dry vegetative mass, depending on fertilization dose,
ranged from 2.3 to 3.5%. The potassium content was fixed in hulled achenes and amounted
0.6%. Crops in crop rotation took up high amounts of potassium and accumulated it mostly
in vegetative mass. Yields of vegetative mass and potassium uptake by plants grown in
monoculture were three-fold lower than in crop rotation. The potassium doses applied
differentiated neither the milk thistle yields nor their silymarin content.
Key words: milk thistle, Silybum marianum, potassium fertilization, silymarin
Nutritious requirements of milk thistle are considered to be high [1]. The results of research on this plant mineral fertilization show that only high or very
high fertilizer doses facilitate the increase in silymarin content [2, 3, 4]. The role
of fertilization is of special importance in monoculture. One-way nutrients exhaustion, mostly potassium, can occur there, especially when growing species with
a tendency to excessive potassium absorption.
Milk thistle has an exceptionally high capacity for heavy metals absorption as
well as radioactive cesium and their accumulation in vegetative mass. Only a high
concentration of these elements in environment resulted in a decrease of fruit
yield, however, it changed the content and composition of neither silymarin nor fat
[5, 6]. Therefore it can be assumed that this rule applies also to basic nutrients.
Vol. 53 No 1 2007
J. Andrzejewska, Z. Skinder
The aim of present research was to define the effect of varied potassium fertilization on yield and quality of the raw material and on content of this element in
the vegetative mass of milk thistle grown in monoculture and crop rotation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The basic information about the experiment is given in Part 1 [7]. Soil determined for the content of available potassium forms was sampled in spring prior
to potassium fertilization and promptly after milk thistle harvest. Yields of the
vegetative mass were determined during milk thistle harvest and threshing, which
coincided with soil sampling to determine the content of potassium and other
elements. The potassium content was determined with the Egner-Riehm method,
applying flame photometry. Standard methods were also used to define the content of other elements. Considering the potassium content in vegetative mass and
in fruits, the element uptake from soil was calculated. For the crop rotation and
monoculture results to be comparable (weather), Table 1 gives data on yield and
chemical composition of plants for last two years, and only the soil analysis results
cover the three-year period. The content of elements in soil and plants are given
in elemental form and the fertilizer dose in oxide form (70 kg . ha-1 K2O=58.1 kg .
ha-1 K, a 140 kg . ha-1 K2O=116.2 kg . ha-1).
Ta b l e 1
Effect of potassium fertilization on potassium content in soil as well as yield and chemical
composition of milk thistle grown in monoculture.
potassium doses (K2O kg . ha-1)
mean
0
70
140
.
-1
content of potassium available forms in soil (mg 100 g K)
spring before sowing in the first year of cultivation (2003)
12.1
after the third year of cultivation (2005)
8.38
10.9
15.2
11.5
yield and chemical composition of fruit (2004–2005)
yield (dt . ha-1)
10.46
8.78
9.96
9.73
silymarin content (%)
2.52
2.63
2.70
2.62
potassium content in fruits (%)
0.56
0.56
0.56
0.56
yield and elements content in the overground vegetative plant mass (2004–2005)
10.83
11.39
11.08
11.10
yield dry matter (dt . ha-1)
content (% in dry matter):
- total nitrogen
1.23
1.20
1.18
1.20
- potassium
2.27
2.69
2.74
2.57
- phosphorus
0.09
0.11
0.09
0.10
- calcium
2.47
2.71
2.31
2.50
- magnesium
0.24
0.23
0.24
0.24
parameters
LSD 0.05
1.32
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.251
ns
0.352
ns
Yield and quality of milk thistle raw material grown in monoculture and in crop rotation. Part 2
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Milk thistle showed to be capable of uptaking and accumulating high amounts
of potassium in vegetative mass. The availability of potassium was similar in crop
rotation and in monoculture. However, in crop rotation the conditions for plant
development were much more favorable, thus absorption of this element was also
higher. The potassium content in the vegetative mass increased significantly after
potassium fertilization. However, the application of successive potassium doses
did not enhance an increase of the vegetative mass of plants (Tables 1 and 2).
Ta b l e 2 .
Effect of potassium fertilization on the potassium content in soil as well as on yield and chemical
composition of milk thistle grown in crop rotation.
potassium doses (K2O kg . ha-1)
Mean
0
70
140
content of potassium available forms in soil (mg . 100 g-1 K) (2004–2005)
spring before sowing
12.9
after plant harvest
10.7
11.5
13.6
11.9
yield and chemical composition of fruit (2004-2005)
16.65
16.03
15.73
16.14
yield (dt . ha-1)
content of silymarin (%)
2.78
2.80
2.76
2.78
potassium content in fruits (%)
0.63
0.64
0.63
0.63
yield and content of elements in the overground vegetative mass of plants (2004-2005)
32.71
30.26
34.92
32.63
dry matter yield (dt . ha-1)
content (% in dry matter):
- total nitrogen
0.79
0.79
0.88
0.82
- potassium
2.84
3.25
3.49
3.19
- phosphorus
0.12
0.11
0.11
0.11
- calcium
2.16
2.47
1.97
2.20
- magnesium
0.23
0.25
0.21
0.23
parameters
LSD 0.05
0.79
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
0.319
ns
0.278
ns
The potassium concentration in plants was high and very high, which must be
factored in when using milk-thistle green forage as silage for high-performance
animals [8, 9]. As for other elements, there was also found a high calcium content.
Interestingly, upon a very high content of available phosphorus forms in soil and
an additional fertilization with phosphorus, the content of this element in plants
was very low. However, according to Kozłowski and Hołyńska [4], phosphorus has
a significant effect on the yields of achenes and the content of silymarin.
Potassium fertilization increased neither the fruit yield nor the silymarin content. It also did not increase the content of potassium in hulled fruits which is
characteristic for generative development. However, in present research, there
were differentiated no nitrogen doses and nitrogen always stimulated the vegetative development of plants. In other research the dose of two or three elements
was increased (including nitrogen) and it must have been the reason for increase
in fruit yield and relatively low increase in the silymarin content [2, 3, 4].
Vol. 53 No 1 2007
J. Andrzejewska, Z. Skinder
The potassium uptake data (Table 3) is approximate as, considering only the
overground part of the vegetative mass and not covered stubble. No leaves were
wilted and shed before the plant harvest. However, the results demonstrate that
with relatively high yields, the potassium uptake exceeded the doses introduced
as fertilizers. With considerably low potassium uptake in monoculture, after three
years of milk thistle cultivation, there was found an increase in the content of
available forms of this nutrient in soil by 3.1 mg.100 g-1 as compared to initial conditions. In the crop rotation relatively slight increase followed when the highest
dose of potassium had been applied. It was probably the effect of cereal straw
mineralization ploughed before milk thistle seeding.
Ta b l e 3 .
Potassium uptake (kg ha K) by the overground vegetative mass and fruits of milk thistle
depending on the cultivation method (2004–2005).
.
cultivation method
monoculture
crop rotation
-1
potassium doses (K2O kg . ha-1)
0
70
140
30.4
35.6
35.9
103.4
108.6
131.8
mean
34.0
114.6
Potassium fertilization doses recommended under crops depend on the content of available forms of this element in soil and on its expected uptake in the
yield. The results of the present research demonstrate that if the content of potassium in soil is at least average, milk thistle does not need doses higher than
140 kg.ha-1 K2O introduced into soil. Although the potassium uptake is very high,
milk thistle does not use up potassium reserve in soil permanently. This element
is accumulated mainly in the vegetative mass remaining in the field, becomes
mineralized and potassium returns to sorptive complex. The results obtained are
also a precious guideline for potassium fertilization of crops grown directly after
milk thistle, especially winter crops. Before vegetative mass mineralization, soil
can show a deficit of potassium available for the plants and this element is essential for plant winterhardening.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Potassium fertilization increased the content of this element in the overground vegetative mass of milk thistle particularly cultivated in crop rotation.
2. Vegetative mass yields and the uptake of potassium by crops grown in crop
rotation were three times higher than in monoculture.
3. On the very good rye complex soil with medium or high content of nutritiens,
potassium fertilization at the doses up to 140 kg.ha-1 K2O, differentiated neither fruit yields nor their potassium content. Neither did it differentiate the
silymarin content.
Yield and quality of milk thistle raw material grown in monoculture and in crop rotation. Part 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The study was financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research grant in
2003–2005 as a research project No. 3P06R 003 24.
REFERENCES
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Kowalski W, Załęcki R. Uprawa i zbiór ostropestu plamistego. Wiad Ziel 1985; 5-6:1-2.
Hammouda FM, Ismail SI, Hassan NM, Zaki AK, Kamel A, Rimpler H. Evaluation of the silymarin content
in Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. cultivated under different agricultural conditions. Phytother Res. 1993;
7:90-1.
Kozera W, Nowak K. Wpływ nawożenia na wysokość i skład chemiczny plonu ostropestu plamistego
(Silybum marianum Gaertn.). Ann UMCS 2004; (59)1:369-74.
Kozłowski J, Hołyńska M. Zmiany zawartości i wydajności sylimaryny oraz plonu owoców ostropestu
plamistego (Silybum marianum Gaertn.) pod wpływem zróżnicowanego nawożenia i wilgotności
w doświadczeniu wazonowym. Herba Pol 1984; XXX(3–4):191-8.
Tang S, Willey NJ. Uptake of 134Cs by four species from the Asteraceae and two varieties from the
Chenopodiaceae grown in two types of Chinese soil. Plant & Soil 2003; 250(1):75-81.
Grabowicz M, Piłat J, Mikołajczak J. Wpływ kiszonki z roślin ostropestu plamistego (Silybum marianum /
L./ Gaertn.) na parametry produkcji krów mlecznych. Ann Warsaw Agri Uni, Animal Sci (Special Number)
2001; 313-17.
Andrzejewska J, Skinder Z. Yield and quality of raw material of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.)
grown in monoculture and in crop rotation. Part I. Reaction of milk thistle to the sowing date. Herba
Pol 2006; 52(4):11-7.
Zheljazkov V, Nikolov S. Accumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn by Silybum marianum L. on polluted
soils. Acta Horticul 1996; 426(1):297-308.
Piłat J, Mikołajczak J, Grabowicz M, Kaczmarek I. Zastosowanie zielonek z całych roślin ostropestu
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PLON I JAKOŚĆ SUROWCA OSTROPESTU PLAMISTEGO [SILYBUM MARIANUM (L). GAERTN.]
UPRAWIANEGO W MONOKULTURZE I ZMIANOWANIU
CZĘŚĆ II. REAKCJA OSTROPESTU PLAMISTEGO NA NAWOŻENIE POTASEM
JADWIGA ANDRZEJEWSKA*, ZBIGNIEW SKINDER
Katedra Szczegółowej Uprawy Roślin,
Uniwersytet Technologiczno-Przyrodniczy,
ul. ks. A. Kordeckiego 20, 85-225 Bydgoszcz,
*autor, do którego należy kierować korespondencję: tel.: +48 52 3749472, faks: +48
52 3749441, e-mail: [email protected]
Streszczenie
Pod ostropest uprawiany na glebie o średnim poziomie przyswajalnych form potasu, stosowano przedsiewnie dawki: 0 (bez nawożenia potasem), 70 i 140 kg . ha-1 K2O. Zawartość
Vol. 53 No 1 2007
J. Andrzejewska, Z. Skinder
pierwiastka w suchej masie wegetatywnej, zależnie od poziomu nawożenia, wynosiła od
2,3 do 3,3%. Zawartość potasu w obłuszczonych niełupkach była stała i wynosiła 0,6%.
Rośliny uprawiane w zmianowaniu pobierały duże ilości potasu i kumulowały go przede
wszystkim w masie wegetatywnej. Plony masy wegetatywnej i pobranie potasu przez
rośliny uprawiane w monokulturze były trzykrotnie niższe niż w zmianowaniu. Zastosowane dawki potasu nie różnicowały plonów owoców ostropestu ani zawartości w nich
sylimaryny.
Słowa kluczowe: ostropest plamisty, Silybum marianum, nawożenie potasem