Analysis of growth characteristics and carotenoids and phenolic compounds contents of Ixeris dentata

Ixeris dentata is a perennial plant belongs to Compositae family and it has been considered as a potential therapeutic agent in many biological activities like detoxification, elimination of blood stasis, anti-inflammatory, and analgesia. The I. dentata used in this experiment was collected in four areas of Yangpyeong, Dangjin, Chuncheon and Goesan, then transplanted to the farm of Department of Herbal Crop Research in National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science. The growth characteristics of I. dentata were investigated after harvesting. The aboveground biomass of plants collected from Chuncheon area was exhibited best, and the biomass of root in YangPyeong was showed best as 3.65 g/plant in dry weight. Based on the HPLC analysis, the leaf of I. dentata collected from Dangjin area was highest in carotenoids contents ($1,213{\mu}g/g$ dry weight), and the leaf of Chuncheon area was exhibited maximal phenolic compounds ($1,918{\mu}g/g$ dry weight). The results of this study could provide fundamental formation for selection of standard varieties of I. dentata and development of functional material by analysis of the growth characteristics and the contents of carotenoids and phenolic compounds.