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Echinacea Research |
Lijing Zhou1, Postdoc, Jennifer Crumley1, Graduate Student, Jeanine Davis1, Project Leader, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, John Balles2, Sr. Research Scientist
1North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Science, Raleigh, NC
2Nutrition Product Development, Amway/Nutrilite Corporation , Lakeview, CA
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Project Overview
Echinacea was initially used by Native American tribes for snake bites, sore throats, toothaches among other uses. It is primarily used as an immune enhancer to reduce the length or severity of cold symptoms and is also used for its antibacterial and antiviral properties in recent years (http://www.webmd.com). Echinacea species are considered the most commonly used medicinal herbs in U.S. and make up as much as 10% of herbal market due to high demand. The tops and roots of these plants are used in a wide variety of natural botanical products (http://www.manitoba.ca).
Three year field trials were initiated in 2012 in the southern mountains (Mills River) and upper piedmont (Reidsville) regions of North Carolina to determine the effects of location on six sources of Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia (five from commercial seed companies and one from a private farm) and to determine if growing these species in different parts of the country and using different seed sources affects the composition of the final product. At each location there are two studies, one for each species. Each study is a split plot design with years as the main plots and sources as the subplots. Data are being collected on growth stage, plant vigor, plant height, flowering date, number of flowers, and top and root dry weight in each year.
Acknowledgement
We gratefully acknowledge Nutrilite for the funds supporting these studies.
Links:
Maintained by Lijing Zhou
Updated April, 2013 by Lijing Zhou
