Echinacea is a perennial plant that is used for its phytotherapeutic potential.
Echinacea crops are often affected by invasive weeds. One of the most effective strategies in weed control is the use of chemicals such as herbicides. However, herbicides also affect the physiological
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Echinacea is a perennial plant that is used for its phytotherapeutic potential.
Echinacea crops are often affected by invasive weeds. One of the most effective strategies in weed control is the use of chemicals such as herbicides. However, herbicides also affect the physiological and morphological processes of
Echinacea. For this reason, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of different dosages (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, and 1250 g ha
−1) of the postemergent herbicide metribuzin on some morphological and physiological characteristics of
Echinacea purpurea and
Echinacea angustifolia collected from different locations in Iran (
E. purpurea from the Shiraz and Isfahan regions and
E. angustifolia from the Ardestan and Kazerun regions). Application of metribuzin decreased leaf dry weight for both
Echinacea species at high doses (750 and 1250 g ha
−1). At high metribuzin dose (1250 g ha
−1),
E. purpurea Shiraz leaves showed an increase in MDA (malondialdehyde) up to 9.14, while in other species the MDA content was lower. Minimum and maximum fluorescence increased at both the registered dosage (500 g ha
−1) and at high doses (750–1250 g ha
−1) of metribuzin treatments in both species. The Fv/Fm (maximum quantum yield) value was reduced in herbicide treated species, compared to the control, starting at the 250 g ha
−1 dose, and was lowest at 750 g ha
−1 dose. The results of this study indicate that metribuzin has adverse effects on the physiology and morphology of
Echinacea species at dosages above 500 g ha
−1.
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