Prove di coltivazione di Hypericum perforatum in ambiente mediterraneo

The possibility to cultivate Hypericum species inside the Mediterranean cropping systems has gained a great interest. Many aspects must be verified as concerns the response of the species to cultivation, with the goal to optimize yields both as quantity and as quality, meeting at the same time the best use efficiency of productive resources. In the fall of 2012, accessions of H. perforatum obtained by seeds coming from three different Italian areas (North–Trento, Middle-Siena and South-Agrigento) have been cultivated in field and in vase. Flowering parts of plants were picked up as the plants were reaching the full flowering stage, i.e. between June and July of the year after the sowing. On a representative sample of 5 plants per each treatment, height of plants, number of ramifications with and without flowers, fresh and dry weight of the whole plant and of flowers were measured. Flower samples were extracted in ethanol, to determine the contents in hypericin, hyperforin and pseudohypericin. The accessions showed noticeable differences in the onset of flowering, in the yields of marketable products and in the content of active compounds, with a satisfactory yield response in the accession from Sicily.