Abstract
Borage is a well-known plant of great importance in human nutrition and health. Expanding knowledge of particular plants that have anti-cancer products is a global concern. There is substantial information regarding the benefits, presence and extraction of gamma linolenic acid (GLA; 18:3n6) in different plants around the world, especially in borage seeds. However, there is little information concerning the effects of the salinity of the nutrient solution on the growth and presence of GLA in borage seeds. The objective of this work was to determine the optimal salinity of the nutrient solution for obtaining GLA in soilless cultivation systems. Borage plants were grown in coconut fibre and provided three treatments of nutrient solution of 2.20, 3.35 and 4.50 dS m-1, increasing solution salinity with the standard nutrient solution of concentrated macronutrients as a reference. Vegetative growth, seed production and GLA ratio were measured. The results of vegetative development and GLA production doubled and tripled with the increase in salinity of the nutrient solution, respectively.
Highlights
Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a native plant of the Mediterranean region that is currently cultivated around the world to produce its seed oil
The nutrient solution at the electrical conductivity (EC) standard of 2.20 dS m-1 showed an average total fresh weight greater than conventional borage crops reported by several previous studies, such as [28]
The electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution showed an important effect on vegetative development (Table 2)
Summary
Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a native plant of the Mediterranean region that is currently cultivated around the world to produce its seed oil. The quantity of borage seed marketed each year is variable, fluctuating between 500 and 2000 t worldwide. The global borage oil market exceeded 1,500 t in 2015. It is expected that the borage oil market will have an estimated value of 54.9 million dollars by 2024 [1, 2]. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA) Spain reported 810 ha with an output of 14,001 t in 2016, with fresh consumption being the main destination of production followed by animal and human consumption. The main producing provinces were Navarra and Aragon (81.88%), La Rioja (16.53%) and Madrid (1.57%) [3]
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