Abstract
Edible chrysanthemums are traditional vegetables in the Tohoku region and Niigata prefecture with a long history of cultivation. They include various indigenous cultivars with unique flower shapes, colors, tastes, flowering times and putative functional ingredients; however, the growing area of edible chrysanthemum has considerably decreased in this decade and most cultivars are threatened with extinction. Therefore, the characterization and preservation of each cultivar are urgently needed. Morphological, ecological and yield characteristics of 29 edible chrysanthemum cultivars were investigated. In comparison with a popular cultivar, ‘Kakinomoto’, various promising cultivars with potential marketability were found. They include cultivars with an early-flowering time, good texture, sweet taste or high anthocyanin content. Based on flow cytometrical analysis, the cultivars investigated were classified into 3 groups depending on the estimated chromosome number, 2n = 53−57, 2n = 63−66 and 2n = 70 or more. The DPPH test revealed that all cultivars had marked antioxidant activities and differences among the cultivars observed. Those with high antioxidant activities are also regarded as promising cultivars.
