Effect of agrotechnological elements on milk thistle (Silynum marianum) productivity

Abstract

The milk thistle is a highly valuable medicinal plant, widely used in treatment of liver diseases. Soil-climate conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine are favourable for crop cultivation. The goal of the study was to determine relations between milk thistle productivity and elements of cultivation technology, viz., primary tillage depth (14–16 and 20–22 cm), inter-row spacing (30, 45, 60 cm), timing of sowing (3rd decade of March, middle of April, 3rd decade of April) and mineral fertilizer application doses (no fertilizers, N45P45, N90P90). Field trials were carried out during the period from 2010 to 2012 on the irrigated lands of the Institute of Rice of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine by using the split plot design method in four replications. The climate of the territory of the trials is typical for the steppe zone. The soil type was dark-chestnut residual solonetz middle-loamy soil. We used the Yuhoslava variety of milk thistle in the trials. Cultivation technology was standard, excluding the studied factors. The results of the trials showed significant impact of all the studied cultivation technology elements on milk thistle seed and oil yields. The maximum average seed (1.66 t/ha) and oil (489 kg/ha) yields were obtained under the primary tillage at the depth of 20–22 cm, inter-row spacing of 60 cm, sowing in the 3rd decade of March, applying mineral fertilizers in a dose of N90P90. The highest input in seed and oil yields rise was made by the mineral fertilizers, which increased milk thistle productivity by 1.57 times comparatively with non-fertilized treatments. We also established a strong direct interrelationship between seed and oil yield: coefficient of determination was 0.96. Results of the current study are slightly limited, so further investigations in the field of milk thistle cultivation technology development and improvement are required to provide Ukrainian farmers with scientifically grounded agrotechnology of this valuable medicinal plant.

Choosing Important Traits for the Model of High-Yielding Winter Wheat Variety Based on the Results of Regional Ecological Varietal Testing

“…Apart from the improvements that must be achieved through the extension of inputs and outputs for ideotype modelling, it could be reasonable to extend the approaches to modelling through the implementation of the algorithms of deep learning analysis within the framework of artificial neural networks. However, the introduction of artificial intelligence closes the way of getting clear mathematical equation for the description of desirable varietal traits, therefore, this mathematical instrument could be only additional one in this field of research [Vozhehova et al, 2019].…”

Effects of Two Varieties and Fertilization Regimes on Growth, Fruit, and Silymarin Yield of Milk Thistle Crop

“…The application of organic or inorganic fertilizers at appropriate doses contributes significantly to the increase in milk thistle crop yield. Nitrogen and phosphorus application led to increased fruit yield [19], while the application of manure enhanced the plants height, silymarin content [20], and fruit and silymarin yield [16]. In contrast, in Bulgaria under different climatic conditions, the use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium negatively affected silymarin accumulation in the fruits; although, silymarin yield was increased [21].…”