engleski

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid plant species in the area of large-scale chamomile cultivation in Croatia

Agriculture in Croatia still holds a high economic significance despite a declining trend. In ViroviticaPodravina county (Continental Croatia) 58% of the total land area is used for arable agriculture. Although cereals account for 41.3% of production in the county, the production of chamomile has increased rapidly in recent years and currently accounts for 6.6% of total production in the county (CROSTAT, 2019). Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are produced by numerous plant species (mainly within plant families Boraginaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae) and are widespread. A great number of PAs are not only hepatotoxic but also carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic. They can contaminate crops and therefore cause health problems both in humans and livestock (Moreira et al., 2018). In Croatia, species from the genera Myosotis L., Senecio L., and Symphytum L. are common weeds in agriculture and can cause challenges for farmers when exporting agricultural products due to EU regulations (EFSA, 2011). The aim of this study was to determine the presence of PA plants in the area of organic chamomile cultivation (both within the crops and in their immediate proximity) and employ spatial analyses in order to evaluate the level of contamination.

Myosotis arvensis ; Symphytum spp. ; pyrrolizidine alkaloids ; chamomile

nije evidentirano