DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.3.4661
Original scientific paper
Productivity and allelopathy of nine milk thistle (Silybum marianum) biotypes in weedy and weed-free conditions
2025, 26 (3) p. 720-732
Athanassia Tsiaousi, Ioannis Vasilakoglou, Kico Dhima
Abstract
Studies on productivity and allelopathic potential under reduced inputs of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn.) biotypes, an alternative energy source and medicinal plant, have not been studied to support farmers’ decisions. A split-plot field experiment was conducted to compare the productivity and allelopathic potential of nine milk thistle biotypes under weedy and weed-free conditions without fertilization and irrigation. The biotypes were the main plots subdivided into weedy and weed-free subplots. Averaged across years and biotypes, weed-free and weedy milk thistle produced 8.03 and 6.37 t/ha dry biomass, respectively. Weed competition slightly reduced the productivity of all biotypes. Averaged across years and biotypes, fruit yield in weed-free and weedy treatments was 1.41 and 1.02 t/ha, respectively. The two commercial biotypes originating from Bulgaria were the most productive (averaged seed yield equal to 1.61 and 1.32 t/ha/year in weed-free and weedy conditions, respectively), while most of the biotypes were allelopathic inhibitors against rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.). In conclusion, some milk thistle biotypes provide adequate dry biomass (for energy use) and seeds (for silymarin production) under Mediterranean-reduced input conditions. Commercial biotypes were slightly more productive than the native biotypes.
Keywords
rigid ryegrass, fruit yield, medicinal plant, weed competition, wild mustard
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