Abstract

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. is not only a famous floricultural crop but also a plant of pharmacological importance. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of different colored polyethylene shade on the growth and accumulation of chlorogenic acid, total flavonoids, quercetin, apigenin and acacetin in C. morifolium capitulum. The results showed that colored polyethylene shade decreased the flower number and biomass yield while increasing the flower diameter and plant height, and the magnitude of effect was in the order of blue>red>yellow. The chlorogenic acid content was observed to be highest under yellow and blue polyethylene cover at different stage of flower development. Blue shaded polyethylene led to lower contents of total flavonoid, quercetin, apigenin, and acacetin. The contents of total flavonoids and quercetin under different colored shaded polyethylene peaked at different stage throughout the study period. The contents of acacetin and apigenin in chrysanthemum capitulum from four shaded polyethylene initially increased and then decreased throughout the study period. The results suggested that different color of polyethylene could induce changes in the microclimate that could act through natural regulatory system within chrysanthemum and affect growth and bioactive compounds accumulation.

Key words: Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. cv. ‘Chuju’, colored polyethylene shade, growth, bioactive compounds.