Document Type : Research paper
Authors
- Matteo Caser 1
- Eric Mozzanini 2
- Andrea Mainetti 3
- Íris Marisa Maxaieie Victorino 4
- Erica Lumini 5
- Sonia Demasi 6
- Valeria Bianciotto 5
- Laura Poggio 3
- Valentina Scariot 1
1 Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095, Grugliasco (TO), Italy
2 Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, University of Torino
3 Biodiversity service and scientific research, Gran Paradiso National Park, fraz. Valnontey 44, 11012, Cogne, Aosta, Italy
4 Biological Science Department, Science Faculty, Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), Av. Julius Nyerere nr 3453 Campus Principal, Maputo P.O. Box 257, Mozambique
5 Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council (CNR), Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Torino, Italy
6 Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2, 10095, Grugliasco (TO), Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Viale Mattioli, 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
Abstract
Artemisia umbelliformis Lam. is an alpine herbaceous species which grows in the wild and used in the production of the génépi’ liqueur, and with interest as ingredient in other food products. The propagation and cultivation have become the only way to ensure a supply chain for this plant, preserving the natural habitats. However, seed propagation is limited by low germination. Selected seeds and fine-tuned agrotechniques are requested by the nursery production system. We investigated seed germination ability (final germination percentage - FGP, first germination time - FGT, halftime of germination - T50, germination period - GPD, and mean germination time - MGT) and early seedling development of three wild A. umbelliformis populations (Valnontey, Soana and Urtier), by testing three germination substrates with different peat and perlite ratio (v:v) (S1, 100:0 ; S2, 80:20; S3, 60:40), in combination or not with two generalist arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species (Rhizophagus intraradices and Funneliformis mosseae). Results highlighted variability in germination capacity according to the genotypes, indicating the Valnontey population as superior to Soana and Urtier in FGP (34.0 %, 7.2 % and 8.6 %, respectively), FGT (8.7, 13.2 and 14.1 days, respectively), MGT (12.5, 16.5 and 17.1 days, respectively) and T50 (13.8, 17.4 and 16.8 days, respectively). Among the substrates, S3 led to a higher FGP (22.9 %) than the others (11.4 % and 15.6 % in S1 and S2, respectively), thus resulting preferable. No AMF symbiosis was highlighted; therefore, the advantage of applying bioinoculants to improve génépi production should be further investigated.
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