THE EFFECTS OF PLANT DENSITY AND YEAR ON YIELD OF PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea purpurea (L.) MOENCH)

Purple coneflower, one of the most popular medicinal plants, is not naturally found in Turkey. Here, Purple coneflower plants were grown in the Cukurova Region of Turkey and the effect of plant density and year on the herb yields were studied. Plants were harvested in June, 2011 and 2012 as second and third seasons of growth in Cukurova. Since flowering plants were not available for one-year-old plants in 2010. Purple coneflower were harvested at the aerial parts when the flowering time at the 2nd and 3nd season, roots were harvested in fall. Although the weight of different aerial parts and roots per plant (g plant(-1)) were not changed according to different plant densities (30x90, 45x90, 60x90 cm) these parameters were changed according to the years. Also, fresh weight of herb (g plant(-1)), dry weight of flowers (g plant(-1)) and number of main stems (number plant(-1)) were not changed in pertinent to years and plant densities. Fresh yield of herb, fresh yield of stem, fresh yield of leaf, dry yields of stem, dry yields of leaf; number of seconder buds (kg ha(-1)) had differences according to plant densities and years.