Abstract
Hairy stork’s-bill (Erodium crassifolium) (HSB) is one of the few Geraniaceae species that produce tubers. While HSB tubers were occasionally used as a food source by desert nomads, they have not yet been taken up in the modern kitchen. Recently, HSB tubers were recognized as harboring potential to become an industrial pharmaceutical crop. The objective of this study was to determine a set of agricultural practices that would maximize the yield of the bioactive compounds of the present HSB genetic material. A generous and consistent irrigation regime of about 700 mm season−1 increased tuber yield and size. The optimal plant density on sandy soils was 16–20 plants m−2. Mineral nutrition, applied through fertigation, increased tuber yield from 0.6 to almost 1 kg m−2. Source-sink manipulations (consistent pruning of the reproductive organs) almost doubled the tuber yield. During 10 years of research, the adopted agricultural practices increased yield by an order of magnitude (from about 0.2–2.0 kg m−2) without any dilution of the bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, further research and development are required to achieve HSB potential as an industrial field crop, including selection and breeding of outstanding infertile clones, optimization of fertigation, and development of various concrete pharmaceutical products.
Highlights
Hairy stork’s bill (HSB) (Erodium crassifolium L Hér) is a Saharo-Arabian perennial hemicryptophyte common in shrub-steppes of arid southeast Mediterranean regions
In Israel, HSB is found in the Negev and Judean deserts, where the annual rainfall is in the range of 30–250 mm
The tubers are located on roots at a depth of 5–20 cm and are typically small and spherical (1–2 cm in diameter). wBiesdouminhoetlhdns othbaotathneictaul bweirssdaorme ehdoibldles athnadtatshesutcuhbelorscaalrBeeeddoiubilne atrnibdeassarseuctheliorcparlimBeadr-y uosueirns t[r8i]b.eHs aSrBe ttuhbeierrsprhimavaerya ulisgehrst s[8w].eHetStBasttueb, earnsdhathveira bliegshttqsuwaeleittytaistien, alantde twheinirtebresotr eqaurlaylistpyriisnign, lwatheewnitnhteeyr oareeawrhlyitsisphriinngc, owlohren[8t]h. ey are whitish in color [8]
Summary
Hairy stork’s bill (HSB) (Erodium crassifolium L Hér) is a Saharo-Arabian perennial hemicryptophyte (i.e., buds are at or near the soil surface) common in shrub-steppes of arid southeast Mediterranean regions. In Israel, HSB is found in the Negev and Judean deserts, where the annual rainfall is in the range of 30–250 mm. Germination begins after the first effective rain event, and an early vegetative phase occurs, forming typical rosette leaves. Hairy stork’s bill is among the few plants of the Geraniaceae family to produce tubers. The first tubers occur soon after germination and thereafter, during the vegetative phase.
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