Domestic cultivation of the medicinal plant Tanacetum parthenium for the development of a migraine pharmaceutical: water and nutrient requirement of the medicinal plant Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schulz Bip.

摘要

Information on nitrogen uptake of feverfew was obtained from a field experiment. Water requirement and the influence of increasing potassium and sodium supply were investigated in pot experiments. Although feverfew grows on poor soils in the wild, it requires supplemental nitrogen fertilization to produce high biomass yield when cultivated in the field. Analysis of nitrogen uptake in the field shows that feverfew plants require about 100 kgN/ha for the first growth reduced by the amount of N< sub>min in the soil. Nitrogen fertilization should be adjusted to the expected yield level and can be reduced by about one third for the second application after the first cut according to the lower yield expected for the second harvest. Adequate water and nitrogen supply until the beginning of flowering increased overall biomass primarily promoting stem and flower growth whereas leaf biomass did not further increase at higher nitrogen levels. Parthenolide, the active compound associated with the medicinal benefits of the plant, is only produced in the leaves and flowers but not in the stems. Thus, the harvest index decreased with increasing nitrogen and water supply. The parthenolide content tends to decrease with higher nitrogen supply. However, the significant increase in biomass yield compensated the reduced parthenolide content resulting in higher parthenolide yield at higher nitrogen fertilization. Potassium promoted biomass yield up to an optimum of 2.5 g K/plant. Higher potassium supply decreased plant yield. Sodium fertilization of more than 1 g NaCl/plant negatively influenced plant growth providing no evidence of salt tolerance of feverfew. Potassium and sodium fertilization did not affect parthenolide content. A balanced potassium and sodium fertilization is required for optimal biomass yield.