OBJECTIVEIn order to provide a scientific fertilizer application for the standardized cultivation, the effects of phosphate (P) fertilizer on the active ingredients and antioxidant activities of Chrysanthemum morifolium were studied.

METHODPot experiment was adopted to study the effects of P supply on the yield and the content of flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, soluble sugar, soluble amino acids and crude protein of C. morifolium flower. And effects of P supply on the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity of flower were researched too.

RESULTThe yield of C. morifolium dry flower increased 129. 94% when P fertilizer was applied. Appropriate application of P fertilizer could also significantly improve the content and accumulation of total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid and soluble sugar in C. morifolium. Thus, the inhibition rates of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical of C. morifolium was increased. When the level of P supply exceeded 0.20 g P2O5 per plant, P had also negative influence on the yield and the content of active ingredients and the scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical of C. morifolium. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between the content of total flavonoids and chlorogenic acid and the inhibition rate of hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical and DPPH free radical, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAppropriate application of P fertilizer could be beneficial to the increase the active components and antioxidant activity of C. morifolium. And recommended level of P fertilizer is 0.26-0.28 g x kg(-1).