Hybrids Development between Greek Salvia Species and Their Drought Resistance Evaluation along with Salvia fruticosa, under Attapulgite-Amended Substrate

Maria Papafotiou,Aikaterini N Martini,Eleftherios G Stylias,Eleonora Papanikolaou,Anastasios Kalantzis

doi:10.3390/agronomy11122401

Maria Papafotiou, Aikaterini N Martini + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122401

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Abstract

Aiming to obtain Salvia hybrids with ornamental value and high drought resistance, for xeriscaping, crossbreeding was made with Greek Salvia species. S. fruticosa and S. officinalis when used as seed parent were successfully crossed with S. pomifera ssp. pomifera, S. ringens and S. tomentosa, while when used as pollen parent it only succeeded between S. fruticosa and S. tomentosa. The growth of S. fruticosa and the four hybrids, S. officinalis × S. pomifera, S. officinalis × S. tomentosa, S. officinalis × S. ringens and S. fruticosa × S. ringens, selected for their ornamental traits, was evaluated under limited irrigation and modification of the substrate with attapulgite clay. The hybrids S. officinalis × S. ringens and S. officinalis × S. tomentosa developed a compact plant shape and most lateral shoots, desirable characteristics for potted plants and xeriscaping. All hybrids, especially S. officinalis × S. pomifera and S. officinalis × S. tomentosa, survived water stress better than S. fruticosa. Modification of the substrate with attapulgite, under limited irrigation, caused a decrease in the above ground/root biomass ratio in some hybrids and in S. fruticosa increased the dry weight of the root indicating increased drought resistance.

Highlights

Published: 25 November 2021The genus Salvia, being the largest of the Lamiaceae family, with about 900 species, includes many species used as ornamental, culinary and/or medicinal plants [1]
S. tomentosa, which were conducted during two successive years, in spring 2019 and 2020, showed that crosses were successful only when S. officinalis was used as seed parent and unsuccessful when it was used as pollen parent
Regarding interspecific crosses of S. fruticosa with S. pomifera ssp. pomifera, S. ringens and S. tomentosa, when S. fruticosa was used as seed parent, crosses with S. ringens and S. tomentosa were more successful than those with S. pomifera

Summary

Introduction

Published: 25 November 2021The genus Salvia, being the largest of the Lamiaceae family, with about 900 species, includes many species used as ornamental, culinary and/or medicinal plants [1]. Salvia species native in eastern Mediterranean regions are drought resistant, perennial, evergreen sub-shrubs being part of the macchia shrubland. Greek Salvia species being drought resistant could be ideal plants for use as ornaments, in arid and semi-arid regions, in xeriscaping. Native plants are ideal for use in xeriscaping, since they have low irrigation and cultivation requirements, a great adaptability to different soil and climatic conditions, high ornamental value, as well as a contribution to the preservation of the character of the landscape [3,4,5,6,7]. Greek Salvia species could be useful as landscape or garden plants, to promote bee-friendly landscaping, an international movement in support of combating pollinator population decline worldwide [8,9], as the natural vegetation attracts a large number and variety of species of insects—pollinators [10].

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