Agronomical Practices and Management for Commercial Cultivation of Portulaca oleracea as a Crop: A Review

FEATURED APPLICATION: Portulaca oleracea is a valuable wild species, spread worldwide, and is consumed in different regions of the world. As a wild edible species, it is a promising alternative to substitute conventional crops in harsh conditions due to its resilience to adverse conditions. In the present review, we tried to compile the most up-to-date literature regarding the management and cultivation practices of Portulaca oleracea. The presented information will be useful to farmers and stakeholders for the commercial cultivation of the species and its introduction as a complementary/alternative crop in the current production systems, while at the same time could be used for the phytoremediation and reclamation of degraded and abandoned agricultural land. ABSTRACT: Soil is an essential resource, and its degradation is challenging modern agriculture, while its impact is expected to increase in the near future. One of the strategies to address this issue is to incorporate new alternative crops able to tolerate arduous conditions, as well as for the use of sustainable agricultural practices in order to recover and/or improve soil health. Additionally, the increasing market for new functional/healthy natural foods promotes the search for potential alternative crop species with promising bioactive compounds content. For this purpose, wild edible plants are a key option because they have already been consumed for hundreds of years in traditional gastronomy and there is well-established evidence of their health-promoting effects. Moreover, since they are not a cultivated species, they are able to grow under natural conditions without human intervention. Among them, common purslane is an interesting wild edible species and a good candidate for integration in commercial farming systems. With worldwide spread, it is able to tolerate drought, salinity and heat stress and is already used in traditional dishes, while it is highly appreciated for its high nutritional value due to its bioactive compound content, especially omega-3 fatty acids. In this review, we aim to present the breeding and cultivation practices of purslane, as well as the effects of abiotic stressors on yield and chemical composition of the edible parts. Finally, we present information that helps to optimize purslane cultivation and facilitate its management in degraded soils for their exploitation in the existing farming systems.