Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides L.): a Multipurpose Plant
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Fiedler, 1981; Kondrashov and Sokolova, 1990); however, most natu- ral populations grow in areas receiving 400 to 600 mm of annual precipita- tion. Myakushko et al. (1986) recom- mended that sea buckthorn not be grown on dry soils, and Lu (1992) noted the need for irrigation in regions receiving <400 mm of rainfall per year. Some species or subspecies of sea buck- Review thorn can endure inundation but can- not be grown on heavy, waterlogged soils (Myakushko et al., 1986), al- though they take up water rapidly (Heinze and Fiedler, 1981). Sea buck- thorn develops an extensive root sys- tem rapidly and is therefore an ideal plant for preventing soil erosion (Cireasa, 1986; Yao and Tigerstedt, Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae 1994). It also has been used in land rhamnoides L.): A Multipurpose Plant reclamation (Egyed-Balint and Terpo, 1983; Kluczynski, 1979; Schroeder and Yao, 1995) for its ability to fix Thomas S.C. Li1 and W.R. Schroeder2 nitrogen and conserve other essential nutrients (Akkermans et al., 1983; Andreeva et al., 1982; Dobritsa and Novik, 1992) Sea buckthorn was imported origi- ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Soil erosion, land reclamation, farmstead protection, nally into Canada from Russia to the nutritional and medicinal values Morden Research Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, SUMMARY. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a multipurpose, hardy, deciduous shrub, an ideal plant for soil erosion control, land reclamation, Manitoba, in 1938 (Davidson et al., wildlife habitat enhancement, and farmstead protection. It has high nutritional 1994). Plantings were limited to orna- and medicinal values for humans. The majority of sea buckthorn research has mental landscapes, except in the prov- been conducted in Asia and Europe. It is a promising new crop for North inces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. America, and recently it has attracted considerable attention by researchers, The Shelterbelt Centre of the Prairie producers, and industry. Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Indian Head, Saskatchewan) have been growing sea buckthorn for ea buckthorn (Hippophae out temperate zones between 27° and 30 years. It is one of the hardiest and rhamnoides) is a hardy, de- 69° N latitude and 7° W and 122° E most adaptable woody plants used in S ciduous shrub with yellow or longitude (Pan et al., 1989; Rousi, prairie conservation programs orange berries (Fig. 1) (Bailey and 1971) including China, Mongolia, (Schroeder, 1988). More than one Bailey, 1978), which has been used for Russia, Great Britain, France, Den- million seedlings have been distrib- centuries in Europe and Asia. In an- mark, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, uted, and more than 250,000 mature cient Greece, leaves of sea buckthorn Finland, Sweden, and Norway (Fig. 2) fruit-producing plants grow on the added to horse fodder was well re- (Wahlberg and Jeppsson, 1990; Yao prairies for enhancement of wildlife puted to result in weight gain and and Tigerstedt, 1995). During the last habitat, farmstead protection (Pear- shiny hair; thus, the Latin name ‘Hip- decade, it has attracted considerable son and Rogers, 1962), erosion con- pophae’ meaning shining horse (Lu, attention from researchers around the trol (Cireasa, 1986), and marginal land 1992). Sea buckthorn occurs as a na- world, and recently in North America, reclamation (Balint et al., 1989; tive plant distributed widely through- mainly for its nutritional and medici- Kluchzynski, 1989; Schroeder, 1990). nal value. Sea buckthorn can be used for many purposes (Fig. 3) and, thus, has 1Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Sea buckthorn can be cultivated, Summerland, B.C., Canada VOH 1ZO. but fails to set fruit, at an altitude of considerable economic potential. A 2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.F.R.A., 3900 m (Rousi, 1971). In Russia, large, natural sea buckthorn habitat can yield Shelterbelt Centre, Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada native populations grow at altitudes of 750 to 1500 kg·ha–1 of berries (Lu, SOG 2K2. 1200 to 2000 m above sea level (Eliseev 1992), shelterbelt plantings 4 to 5 Contribution no. 971. and Fefelov, 1977). It can withstand t·ha–1 (Schroeder and Yao, 1995), and The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in part by temperatures from –43 to 40 °C (Lu, orchard plantings, up to 10 t·ha–1 (C. the payment of page charges. Under postal regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby marked advertise- 1992). Sea buckthorn is considered to McLoughlin, personal communica- ment solely to indicate this fact. be drought resistant (Heinze and tion). The vitamin C and E contents 370 HortTechnology ● Oct./Dec. 1996 6(4) REVIEW son (Bernath and Foldesi, 1992). The male inflorescence consists of four to six apetalous flowers. Pollen is released in large quantities when the air tem- perature reaches 6 to 10 °C. The fe- male inflorescence usually consists of one single apetalous flower with one ovary and one ovule. The plant de- pends entirely on the wind for pollina- tion: neither the male nor the female flowers have nectaries and do not at- tract insects. Cultural management Sea buckthorn normally is trans- planted or directly seeded in the spring. Best growth occurs in deep, well drained, sandy loam soil with ample organic matter (Wolf and Wegert, 1993). In arid or semiarid areas, water must be supplied for establishment. Information in the literature re- Fig. 1. Sea buckthorn berries. rope—on river banks and coastal dunes garding the cultivation of sea buck- along the Baltic Coast of Finland, Po- thorn is limited. In Saskatchewan, land, and Germany (Biswas and Biswas, Canada, seedlings planted in are as high as 600 and 160 mg/100 g 1980; Kluczynski, 1989; Rousi, 1971) shelterbelts are often under stress due of fruit, respectively (Bernath and and on the western coast and along the to lack of proper management. For Foldesi, 1992). Its pulp and seeds con- Gulf of Bothnia in Sweden. In Asia, sea commercial production in orchard-like tain essential oil important for its me- buckthorn is distributed widely through- plantations, cultural management is dicinal value, such as superoxide out the Himalayan regions including clearly important. Good growing con- dismutase activity in mice, and it has India, Nepal, and Bhutan and in the ditions produce higher yield and good- enhanced the activity of NK cells in northern parts of Pakistan and Afghani- quality fruit (Walhberg and Jeppsson, tumor-bearing mice (Chen, 1991; Dai stan (Lu, 1992). 1990; Wolfe and Wegert, 1993). Crop et al., 1987; Degtyareva et al., 1991). Description management of sea buckthorn should Taxonomy include fertilization and cultural prac- Sea buckthorn is a deciduous, dio- tices such as spacing, pruning, irriga- Hippophae belongs to the family ecious shrub, usually spinescent, reach- tion, and weed control. Elaeagnaceae. Arne Rousi (1971) clas- ing 2 to 4 m in height. It has brown or SOIL TEXTURE AND PH. In its sified Hippophae (2n = 24) into three black rough bark and a thick grayish- natural environment, sea buckthorn species based on morphological varia- green crown. Leaves are alternate, nar- plants are found on slopes, riverbanks, tions: H. rhamnoides L., H. salicifolia row, and lanceolate with a silver-gray and seashores. Soil acidity and alkalin- D. Don, and H. tibetana Schlecht. color on the upper side (Synge, 1974). ity, except at extreme levels ,are not Hippophae rhamnoides was divided This calcicolous species tolerates low limiting factors. In China, plants have further into nine subspecies: carpatica, temperatures, high soil pH of 8.0, and been found in soils ranging from pH caucasica, gyantsensis, mongolica, sin- salt spray (Bond, 1983). The plant’s 5.5 to 8.3, although Lu (1992) re- ensis, turkestanica, yunnanensis, extensive root system is capable of ported that sea buckthorn thrives best rhamnoides, and fluviatilis Rousi. Liu holding the soil on fragile slopes. Sea at pH 6 to 7. Wolf and Wegert (1993) and He (1978) described a fourth buckthorn can be planted in marginal reported actinomycetes, which have a species, H. neurocarpa Liu & He, soils due to its symbiotic association low tolerance for acid soil, living in found on the Qinghai-Xizang plateau with nitrogen-fixing actinomycetes symbiosis with sea buckthorn, which of China. These classifications were (Akkermans et al., 1983; Dobritsa and has a favorable range of pH 5.4 to 7.0. accepted generally by Lian (1988), Novik, 1992). Roots of sea buckthorn Sea buckthorn is salt tolerant. An but taxonomists still disagree on the also are able to transform insoluble unconfirmed report indicated that precise classification of the genus. organic and mineral matter in the soil 0.15% NaCl added to the growing into more soluble states (Lu, 1992). media increased the growth of some Natural distribution The plant rapidly spreads by rhizoma- varieties of sea buckthorn in the labo- Sea buckthorn is native to Europe tous roots, and will quickly colonize ratory (Lu, 1992). Furthermore, soak- and Asia (Fig. 2). The total area of sea adjacent areas. ing seeds for 24 h in 0.15% NaCl buckthorn in China, Mongolia, and The sex of seedlings cannot be before sowing increased the number Russia is about 810,000 ha of natural ascertained until they start to flower of vigorous seedlings. stands and 300,000 to 500,000 ha (Synge, 1974). Flower buds are formed PRECIPITATION AND SOIL MOIS- planted (Sun, 1995). Natural sea buck- mostly on 3-year-old wood, differenti- TURE. Most natural populations of sea thorn stands are also widespread in Eu- ated during the previous growing sea- buckthorn grow in areas receiving an- HortTechnology ● Oct./Dec. 1996 6(4) 371 –1 –1 nual precipitation of 400 to 600 mm. >70% soil moisture compared with a t·ha and 50 kg·ha each of N, P2O5, For economic reasons, sea buckthorn nonirrigated plot with soil moisture of and K2O.