Abstract
Nasturtium officinale (watercress) is used as an aromatic food and medicinal plant. Furthermore, it can be used for water phytoremediation. The species is native in the Northern hemisphere, but due to cultivation, it is distributed worldwide. Watercress is perennial plant growing in floating water, naturally tetraploid with unknown diploid progenitors. Propagation is possible by seeds and by cuttings. Watercress production is endangered by several diseases and pests like crook root (Spongospora, Cercospora, Xanthomonas, Fasciola, Lemna, Plutella are the main pests and disease. Flower and pollination biology show an allogamous and entomophilous situation. Recent breeding efforts with conventional and biotechnological methods resulted in better conventional and mutation lines protected by patents.
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Blüthner, WD. (2020). Nasturtium officinale R.Br.: Watercress. In: Novak, J., Blüthner, WD. (eds) Medicinal, Aromatic and Stimulant Plants. Handbook of Plant Breeding, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38792-1_8
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