CROSSING METHOD FOR THE FURTHER GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.

Tommaso Martinelli

Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops (CREA-CI)Via di Corticella 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy


Abstract

Silybum marianum (milk thistle) is among the top selling herbal products in the U.S., in Italy and in other countries. Despite its economic importance as an officinal and medicinal species, only few improved genotypes exist and the species is still marked by traits that are typical of non-domesticated plants. Based on this evidence, further genetic improvement is required for the complete exploitation of milk thistle as a crop species. The first step in order to allow further breeding programmes of the species is the setup of a reliable crossing protocol. The present paper, after a brief review of S. marianum flower anatomy, describes a crossing method for this plant. The correct phenological stage for emasculation is BBCH growth stage 54. If manual pollination is repeated two days after emasculation, a significant increase of F1 fruits can be obtained. By utilizing the proposed protocol, an average 70–90 florets per flower head are emasculated and percentage of success (F1 fruits harvested) usually ranges between 27 and 70%. The proposed crossing protocol will constitute an important tool in order to allow the further genetic improvement of this species.


Alemardan, A., Karkanis, A., Salehi, R. (2013). Breeding objectives and selection criteria for milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) improvement. Not. Bot. Hortic. Agrobot., 41, 340–347.

Andrzejewska, J., Martinelli, T., Sadowska, K. (2015). Silybum marianum: non-medical exploitation of the species. Ann. Appl. Biol., 167, 285–297.

Cappelletti, E.M., Caniato, R. (1984). Silymarin localization in the fruit and seed of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Herba Hun., 23, 53–62.

Carrier, D.J., Crowe, T., Sokhansanj, S., Wahab, J., Barl, B. (2002). Milk thistle, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., flower head development and associated marker compound profile. J. Herbs Spices Med. Plants, 1, 65–74.

Engler A., Prantl, K. (1897). Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien nebst ihren Gattungen und wichtigeren Arten, insbesondere den Nutzpflanzen, unter Mitwirkung zahlreicher hervorragender Fachgelehrten begründet. IV teil, abteilung 5. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, 99–104.

Groves, R.H., Kaye, P.E. (1989). Germination and phenology of seven introduced thistle species in southern Australia. Aust. J. Bot., 37, 351–359.

Heinz, B. (1987). Breeding handling of milk thistle populations (Silybum marianum Gaertn.) and quantitative analysis of silymarin with HPTLC. Dissertation, Gieβen.

Hetz, E., Liersch, R., Schieder, O. (1995). Genetic investigations on Silybum marianum and S. eburneum with respect to leaf colour, outcrossing ratio, and flavonolignan composition. Planta Med., 61, 54–57.

ISMEA report (2013). Piante officinali in Italia: un’istantanea della filiera e dei rapporti tra i diversi at-tori. Availlable: https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/ cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/6678 [date of access:10.05.2017].

Keil, D.J. (2017). Silybum. In: Jepson Flora Project (eds), Jepson eFlora. Availlable: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/ eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=609 [date of access: 10.07.2017].

Martin, R.J., Deo, B., Douglas, J.A. (2000). Effect of time of sowing on reproductive development of variegated thistle. Agron. New Zeal., 30, 1–5.

Martin, R.J., Lauren, D.R., Smith, W.A., Jensen, D.J., Deo, B., Douglas, J.A. (2006). Factors influencing silymarin content and composition in variegated thistle (Silybum marianum). New Zeal. J. Crop Hort., 3, 239–245.

Martinelli, T., Andrzejewska, J., Salis, M., Sulas, L. (2015). Phenological growth stages of Silybum marianum according to the extended BBCH scale. Ann. Appl. Biol., 166, 53–66.

Martinelli, T., Potenza, E., Moschella, A., Zaccheria, F., Benedettelli, S., Andrzejewska, J., (2016). Phenotypic evaluation of a milk thistle germplasm collection: fruit morphology and chemical composition. Crop. Sci., 56, 3160–3172.

Morazzoni, P., Bombardelli, E. (1995). Silybum marianum (Carduus marianus). Fitoterapia, 66, 3–42.

Ram, G., Bhan, M.K., Gupta, K.K., Thaker, B., Jamwal, U., Pal, S. (2005). Variability pattern and correlation studies in Silybum marianum Gaertn. Fitoterapia, 76, 143–147.

Rasic, S., Stafanic, E., Stefanic, I. (2009). Plants for bees Silybum marianum. J. Apic. Res., 48(4), 298–299.

Smith, T., Kawa, K., Eckl, V., Johnson, J., (2016). Sales of herbal dietary supplements in US increased 7.5% in 2015. HerbalGram, 111, 67–73.

Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M., Webb, D.A. (1976). Flora Europaea, Vol. 4. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Wagner, H., Diesel, P., Seitz, M. (1974). Zur Chemie und Analytik vao Silymarin aus Silybum marianum Gaertn. Arzneim. Forsch., 24, 466–471.
Download

Published
2018-06-25



Tommaso Martinelli 
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops (CREA-CI)Via di Corticella 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy



License

 

Articles are made available under the conditions CC BY 4.0 (until 2020 under the conditions CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

The author signs a statement of the originality of the work, the contribution of individuals, and source of funding.

 


Most read articles by the same author(s)