Effects of Different Seeding Rates on Growth Performance, Yield, and Quality of Calendula officinalis L. in Mediterranean Conditions

Abstract

Calendula officinalis L., commonly known as pot marigold and a member of the Asteraceae family, is widely used in cosmetics, medicine, and pharmacy due to its rich bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effects of varied seeding rates on the growth, yield, and quality of Calendula officinalis L. in Mediterranean climates, focusing on morphological, quality, and agronomic characteristics, including seed and biological yield. The research was conducted at the experimental fields of the Ege Universty, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops, over two growing seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021). The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement, incorporating three replicates. The factors included (a) year (2020 and 2021) and (b) five seeding rates (5, 10, 15, 25, and 35 kg ha⁻¹). Results indicated that seeding rate significantly impacted agronomic yield. While plant density per m² increased with higher seeding rates, there was a decline in plant branching, plant height, seed yield, biological yield, fresh flower yield, and dried flower yield at higher seeding rates. The optimum seeding rate for achieving high flower and seed yields was determined to be 10 kg ha⁻¹. Rainfall during the flowering period was found to be critical for maximizing drug flower and seed yield, highlighting the importance of careful consideration of seeding percentage and precipitation to achieve the optimum yield of C. officinalis.

Keywords

• Calendula officinalis L.
• climate change impact
• flower yield
• seed yield
• pot marigold

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