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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #239795
Title: Chicory cultivars differ in sesquiterpene lactone composition

Author
item Foster, Joyce
item Cassida, Kimberly
item Sanderson, Matt
item SHULAW, WILLIAM - The Ohio State University
item MCCUTCHEON, JEFF - The Ohio State University
item COOPER, TROY - The Ohio State University
item PARISH, JIMMY - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: American Forage and Grassland Council Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2009
Publication Date: 6/21/2009
Citation: Foster, J.G., Cassida, K.A., Sanderson, M.A., Shulaw, W.P., Mccutcheon, J., Cooper, T., Parish, J.R. 2009. Chicory cultivars differ in sesquiterpene lactone composition. In: Proceedings of the American Forage and Grassland Council. 2009 Annual Conference, June 21-23, 2009, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 2009 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a valuable forage species for small ruminants because it is nutritious and contains sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) that have anthelmintic activity. Three SLs, lactucin (lac), 8-deoxylactucin (dol), and lactucopicrin (lpic), occur in chicory leaves. Comprehensive data on SL composition of chicory herbage have not been reported. We determined the SL composition of two cultivars, Grasslands Puna (Puna) and Forage Feast, which have high concentrations of SLs. Experimental samples represented cultivation sites in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Mississippi; multiple years; initial growth and regrowth tissues; and sequential harvests during consecutive growing seasons. In Forage Feast, lac represented 40 to 50% of the total SLs, approximately twice the fraction it represented in Puna; the fraction represented by dol was approximately half that in Puna. In both cultivars, lpic was 30 to 40% of the total SLs. These differences in SL composition could translate into differences in anthelmintic activity and suggest that one chicory cultivar might be better than the other when the objective is to establish a bioactive pasture for gastrointestinal parasite control.