Preliminary investigations on the introduction of masterwort (Peucedanum ostruthium (L.) W. Koch.

The rhizomes of masterwort (Peucedanum ostruthium (L.) W. Koch) are used to flavor alcoholic beverages and also used as remedies in folk medicine. In one bachelor thesis, preliminary investigations were conducted on introduction of masterwort, testing the effects of seed treatment, soil type and plant spacing. According to the tetrazolium test, 82 96% of the seeds were viable. The germination rate of freshly harvested seeds stored for 4 weeks at 15 degrees C or for 3 5 weeks at 2 degrees C was about 20 22%. In face of the good viability of the seeds, the relatively low germination capacity supposes the existence of seed dormancy. Vegetative propagation can be accomplished without difficulties by parting the root ball. The propagation rate was about 1:10. The above ground fresh plant mass has been determined, but the root stock yield that could not be measured in the experiments. No or only marginal influence of different soil substrates (existent soil = silty loam, existent soil ameliorated by peat, by sand or abundantly by lime) on growth height, plant diameter and above ground plant mass were observed. Masterwort proved to be adaptive like also in natural habitats. A raw distance of 75 cm resulted in higher single plant yields of above ground plant mass in comparison to distances of 50 and 30 cm. A planting distance of 30 cm within the raw revealed the maximum area yield. The highest area yield can be achieved by planting robust plantlets in April at 75 cm raw distance and 30 50 cm plant spacing within the raws. In this case, the soil will totally be covered by the plants by the middle of June. Future experiments should clarify whether the above ground plant mass yield can be used as a marker for the root stock yield. Plant distances of 20 50 cm within the raw are recommended for further investigations.