ABSTRACT Background: Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. (sickleweed) holds great potential as a food and medicinal plant. Its bioactive compounds (BAC) offer potential health benefits, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Its rich nutritional profile makes it a valuable functional food source. By studying the domestication possibilities of this plant, there is a potential to further enhance its properties without harming the environment and biodiversity. Research into its BAC content can unlock its full potential as a functional food and therapeutic herb. Objective: To investigate the possibility of domesticating the wild edible plant sickle weed in the Ararat Valley of Armenia in hydroponic and soil conditions. Methods: The plants' Vitamin C, β-carotene, and tannin content were determined using a titrimetric method. The total flavonoid and phenol content was quantified using a spectrophotometric method. Total protein content was assessed using the Kjeldahl method.Results: The study on sickleweed under hydroponics and soil cultivation observed significant differences in biometric parameters such as leaf number, leaf length, and root thickness in June: hydroponic plants had 1.3 times more leaves and thicker roots, whereas soil-grown plants developed leaves that were 3.5 cm longer on average. Hydroponic plants also exhibited significantly higher yields of BAC: 1.5 times more extractives, 1.2 times more flavonoids, 1.5 times more phenols, 1.3 times more tannins, and 1.7 times more protein. However, vitamin C and β-carotene levels remained in the same range for both growing conditions.
