Characteristics and potential uses of the functional plant Sonchus arvensis L.

Author of the article:SU Wen-Wen；YANG Quan-Feng；OUYANG Fang；MENG Xing-Yuan；GE Feng

Author's Workplace：State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China

Key Words：functional plant; Sonchus arvensis L.; natural enemies

Abstract：Sonchus arvensis L. is a medicinal and edible plant that is widely distributed in China. It has a long flowering period, is highly adaptable, resistant to drought and salinity and is easily planted and managed. In September 2018 we discovered that S. arvensis is a high-quality honey and pollen source in north China due to its long flowering period and the large number of pollinators it attracts. It has no common pests and has the basic characteristics of a functional plant. The flowering period of S. arvensis is from July to October, the same as the corn growing period, which suggests that S. arvensis could help maintain populations of natural predators by providing these with a continuous nutritional supplement during the corn growing season. Therefore, planting S. arvensis in conjuction with crops could be a new way of controlling pests that could reduce the use of chemical pesticides, enrich the diversity of natural predators, increase farmers' income, and improve the environment, all of which have important economic, ecological, and social benefits.