Crop yields, secondary metabolites and anti-fungal activities of extracts of Helichrysum cymosum and Helichrysum odoratissimum cultivated in aquaponics

 The growing demand for herbal remedies has resulted in the significant over-harvesting of wild plants, exacerbating the problem of species extinction. This study evaluates two cultivation approaches that could be explored to cultivate medicinal plants.  This study compared the antifungal activities, secondary metabolite contents, and crop yields of Helichrysum cymosum and Helichrysum odoratissimum extracts cultivated in aquaponic and hydroponic systems to assess the prospects of using both systems in the sustainable cultivation of medicinal plants.  The different cultivation methods (soil, aquaponics and hydroponics) were compared. Data on plant growth, antifungal activity, antioxidant activity, secondary metabolites and volatile compounds were collected and are presented. 

The Faculty of Applied Sciences Ethics Committee granted ethics approval for this study (Reference number: 212011286/06/2020)