Agriculture and horticulture
Babak Bahreininejad; Fatemeh Sefidkon; M.H. Lebaschy; Zahra Jaberalansar
Abstract
Background and objectives: Awareness of changes in medicinal plant yield quantity and quality over time is one of the most important goals in agricultural management. Satureja mutica is one of the valuable medicinal species growing in Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different ...
Read More
Background and objectives: Awareness of changes in medicinal plant yield quantity and quality over time is one of the most important goals in agricultural management. Satureja mutica is one of the valuable medicinal species growing in Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different planting beds on changes in vegetative characteristics and essential oil components over the years of growth in S. mutica under rainfed conditions.Methodology: The experiment was conducted in the form of split plots in a randomized complete block design for three years (2018-2020) in the rainy conditions of Feridounshahr city, Isfahan province. Planting beds as the main plot included cow manure (30 tons per hectare), wheat straw (10 tons per hectare), and control (without cow manure and wheat straw). After the preparation of the field, the seedlings were planted at the bottom of the wells created at a distance of 50 x 50 cm from each other. During the growing season and at the time of 50% flowering, the studied traits including total plant dry weight, leaf and stem dry weight, plant height, crown diameter per plant, canopy area per plant, and in each square meter of land and the number of stems per plant were measured. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branches of the plants were harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands. Considering that the plant is several years old and measurements are carried out every year on fixed plots, the design analysis was done on divided plots at the time of implementation. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was applied to compare the means. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branch of the plant was harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Pastures. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was used to compare the means.Results: The variance analysis of the data showed that the effects of bed, year, and their interaction effects on the measured traits were significant in many cases. Results showed that the highest values of plant height, crown diameter, canopy area, and number of stems per plant in the first year were seen in manure treatment. In the last year, they were in control. The highest rates of total dry weight, leaf dry weight, essential oil yield, and essential oil percentage were observed in control in the last year. These rates were 1427, 891, 42 kg ha-1, and 4.67%, respectively. The main essential oil components are thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene. These essential oil components are affected by the planting bed and the growth year. So in the case of p-cymene, the highest amount obtained in the first year was in the straw treatment. The highest amounts of gamma-terpinene were observed in all three planting bed treatments in the last year of growth. S. mutica had significant amounts of thymol, and the trend of changes among planting bed treatments and during growing years was very small. The highest amounts of carvacrol were observed in straw treatment and animal manure in the second year of growth. The results of the correlation coefficients showed that the most vital traits affecting essential oil yield were total dry weight, leaf and stem, and essential oil percentage. Thymol and p-cymene were inversely correlated with carvacrol and gamma-terpinene.Conclusion: On the whole, to produce S. mutica under rainfed conditions similar to this study, manure or straw could affect yield and essential oil over the first and second years; however, in the third year, this effect diminished, and control treatment was superior to straw and manure treatments.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
. .; Narjes Yusefi; Farnosh fatahi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Recording ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants preserves the scientific heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. This unique and valuable knowledge has long been passed down from generation to generation but is eroded as societies modernize. ...
Read More
Background and objectives: Recording ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants preserves the scientific heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. This unique and valuable knowledge has long been passed down from generation to generation but is eroded as societies modernize. In this regard, the present study was conducted to identify medicinal plants used by residents. It also identified cultures, methods of use, and the therapeutic context of the mentioned plants in Pasargad County. In this region, herbal medicines are common, especially with the Basri nomadic tribe.Methodology: To understand the factors affecting the differentiation and segregation of the region, such as ecological, cultural, historical, and land use conditions, a field visit was first conducted in the Pasargad region. Ethnobotanical information was obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire and interviews with knowledgeable people. A total of 101 informants participated in the study. The target areas for sampling were determined after dividing the region into two central parts (Saadshahr) and Madras Sulaiman based on local guides' information. Demographic information about people, such as education, gender, age group, and registered status, was considered. This research seeks local knowledge and traditional applications for identifying medicinal samples. In this regard, information was collected from native people of the region, attars, and knowledgeable people about traditional medicine and medicinal plants. The necessary interviews were conducted. To quantitatively examine the ethnobotanical information, the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants was classified using software (Excel 2021). Quantitative indices used in ethnobotanical studies allow the selection of the most influential species of medicinal plants for conducting medicinal research. In this regard, a quantitative analysis of the ethnobotanical information of local knowledge of medicinal plants based on indicators including the relative frequency of citations (RFC), usage value (UV), cultural importance (CI), and the consensus index of informants (ICF) is carried out.Results: The collected plants belonged to 18 families, the most abundant of which were Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae families. The most common herbal medicine consumption method was boiled (30%), followed by infusion (30%) and cooking (15%). The most used medicinal parts of plants in this region were leaves and flowers, with 44% and 21%, respectively. According to this study, Shirazi thyme, Stachys inflate, and Prangos ferulacea had the highest relative frequency of citations (RFC). Plants with the highest index of cultural importance in the region included species that show their high importance in the culture of using medicinal plants. The region's local people used two species, Zataria multiflora and Matricaria chamomilla. Recorded diseases and traditional remedies from medicinal plants were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). The ICF index was calculated in 9 disease classes based on the usage report and the number of species applied to each disease class. Thus, nine categories of diseases, including digestive (GAS-D), respiratory (RES-R), nervous (NER-N), skin and hair (DER-S), general and unspecified (OTH-A), urology and kidney (URO-U), endocrine/metabolic and nutrition (MET-T, gynecological diseases (GYN-X), cardiovascular (CAR-K) were determined. The highest amount of ICF is related to three groups of gastrointestinal diseases. It was respiratory and nervous with an ICF value (of 0.92).Conclusion: High ICF of digestive diseases is due to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum, Pistacia atlantica, Mentha longifolia, and Glycyrrhiza glabra for digestive disorders. The second rank of ICF of respiratory diseases is related to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Achillea eriophora, and Stachys lavandulifolia. Also, the high UR of Matricaria chamomilla, Salvia officinalis, Rosa damaescena, and Ballota oucheri accounts for the high ranking. These findings are due to the high UR of medicinal plants to treat the diseases of the three mentioned ailments categories. This can have ecological and sociological reasons.
Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants
Behnaz Attaeian; Sohrab Moradi; Kamran Shayesteh; Soheila Mousa
Abstract
Background and objectives: Forest and rangeland by-products, particularly medicinal plants, can contribute to sustainable development and increase economic opportunities for local communities. Medicinal plants play a significant role in society's health and disease treatment. ...
Read More
Background and objectives: Forest and rangeland by-products, particularly medicinal plants, can contribute to sustainable development and increase economic opportunities for local communities. Medicinal plants play a significant role in society's health and disease treatment. Negligence to the preservation of medicinal heritage reserves in the field of natural resources will lead to disastrous consequences in the country's natural resources sector. Among these consequences are the rapid extinction of species and severe genetic erosion. Therefore, this study targets protection value and people's willingness to pay for medicinal plant protection and restoration.Methodology: The Salas Babajani region in Kermanshah province was chosen for this research. The vegetation in this area is mainly wooded, and most of the area is covered by dense forests. Due to its diverse topography, the Salas Babajani region has a variety of forest habitats and rangeland and forest medicinal plants. Asafoetida, Thyme, Hawthorn, Wormwood, Eremurus, Dog rose, Chamomile, Sweet violet, Oak, Ferulago, Common Thistle, Horsemint, licorice, etc., are among the medicinal plants of this region. Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was used to estimate medicinal plants' non-use (protective) values in this study. Also, a Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice questionnaire was used to measure people's willingness to pay for medicinal plant protection in the region. The questionnaire was designed in two parts: socio-economic characteristics of people (age, gender, level of education, occupation, number of family members, income, and other characteristics of the respondents) and questions related to the willingness to pay of the respondents. Sampling was done by simple random sampling among residents of the Salas Babajani region in 2016. Cochran's formula from 353 questionnaires determined the number of samples. The logit model was used to measure people's willingness to pay, and the parameters were estimated based on the maximum likelihood method.Results: The results showed that 64% of the interviewees were men and 36% were women. The average age of the respondents is 27.88 years, the average household size is 4.46, and their minimum and maximum household sizes are one person and ten people, respectively. The results also showed that more than 76% of people (269 samples) are willing to pay an amount to protect and restore medicinal plants. The average willingness of each person to pay annually for the protection and restoration of medicinal plants is equal to 5269 Tomans (according to the average household size (4.46 people) equal to 23500 Tomans for each household per year). The variables of household size and the suggested price have a significant negative effect with 95% confidence. The variables of income, gender, level of education, supporting the protection of natural resources (interest in the environment), and knowledge of the protection of medicinal plants and its relationship with sustainable development (knowledge and awareness of environmental protection) are among the most important positive influencing factors with 95% confidence on people's willingness to pay for the protection of medicinal plants. The variables of age, marital status, occupation, membership in environmental organizations, and environmental attitudes and tendencies did not affect the acceptance of the suggested price for medicinal plants conservation value. The Likelihood Ratio statistic (280.39) shows that the changes explained by the logit model are significant at a level higher than one percent. The estimated model's correct prediction percentage is also 75%. Since the percentage of correct prediction for the logit model is equal to 70%, the percentage of correct prediction obtained in this model seems favorable. Therefore, this model is reliable for further analysis. McFadden's coefficient of determination also shows that the model's explanatory variables explain well (about 0.87) the changes in the dependent variable.Conclusion: In terms of management, this study achieved promising results because it shows that the people of society are aware of the importance of protecting medicinal plants, and there is a desire to pay significantly for the protection and restoration of these valuable resources. Therefore, it is suggested that the government pay more attention to public participation to protect, revive, and develop medicinal plants in the forest areas of the study area.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
Hassan Hassani Kumleh; Sanaz Etemadi Shalkouhi; Mohsen Farhadpour; Mohammad Hossein Rezadoost
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Cancer is one of the most serious causes of death, and breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Medicinal plants can play a vital role in cancer treatment. Many effective cancer drugs today are derived from natural plant products. This ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Cancer is one of the most serious causes of death, and breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Medicinal plants can play a vital role in cancer treatment. Many effective cancer drugs today are derived from natural plant products. This study evaluates the cytotoxic effect of Pterocarya fraxinifolia leaf methanolic extract. It also evaluates its effect on the expression of the P21, BID, BCL-2, RB1, and MDM2 genes in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.Methodology: Extraction was done from 20 grams of dried and powdered leaves exposed to air by the soaking (maceration) method using pure methanol and after 24 hours in an incubator shaker at a speed of 120 rpm, temperature of 25°C and in the dark. After filtering and drying the extract, 5 mg of the resulting dry substance was dissolved in 1 ml of RPMI-1640 medium. After re-filtration, it was stored as a stock to prepare different concentrations. MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and HGF-1 as a normal cell line were cultured in RPMI1640 medium containing FBS 10% (w/v), penicillin antibiotics, streptomycin 1% (w/v), and at 37°C temperature and 5% carbon dioxide pressure in an incubator. These cells were exposed to various concentrations of methanolic extract from Pterocarya fraxinifolia leaves for 24 hours. Cell survival rate was assessed with MTT colorimetric assay, and expression of genes involved in apoptosis (P21, BID, BCL-2, RB1, MDM2) in cancer cells treated with IC25 concentration of plant extract was evaluated by real-time PCR technique. RNA extraction from MCF-7 and HGF-1 cells was performed according to the RNX-plusTM kit instructions. cDNA synthesis was performed using Fermentase Company's kit (RevertAid First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit) and according to its instructions. In this study, the GAPDH gene was used as an internal control.Results: The results of the MTT assay showed that the Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Poir) spach leaf methanolic extract had a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and during the experiment, with increasing drug concentration, the effect of cytotoxicity increased in both cancer and normal lines and high inhibition was observed at concentrations of 1000 and 1200 μg.ml-1. The IC50 of Pterocarya fraxinifolia methanol extract against MCF-7 and HGF-1 cell lines was 452.1 and 479.2 μg.ml-1, respectively. Real-time PCR results showed that treatment with the Pterocarya fraxinifolia plant extract enhanced the expression of the P21 gene, while expression was nearly constant in extract-treated normal cells. The BID gene expression was increased in cancer cells treated with the plant extract. In contrast, normal cells under the influence of the extract showed a slight decrease in gene expression. The plant extract decreased the expression of the BCL-2 gene in cancer cells, whereas the expression of this gene in normal cells did not change significantly under the extract. The RB1 gene expression was not significantly altered in healthy cells after plant extract treatment but increased in the cancer cell line MCF-7. MDM2 gene expression in cancer cells treated with plant extract remained unchanged, whereas it slightly increased in healthy cells treated with extract.Conclusion: This study provides an overview of how Pterocarya fraxinifolia extract can inhibit cancer cell growth. This study confirms the inhibitory activity of the plant's methanolic extract on breast cancer cells. With further investigation, the plant compounds may one day be used to treat cancer.
Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants
S. J. Seyedaghlaghi; M. Yousefian; Sh. Hajjehforosh; D. Darvishi; D. Ghorbanian; B. Fani; N. Alizadeh Balochi; M.R. Shirzadi; S.N. Seyyed akhlaghi
Abstract
Background and objectives: According to the law on the protection and exploitation of forests and pastures, any exploitation of natural resources by individuals or legal persons must be done with the approval and permission of the country's natural resources and watershed management organization. Issuing ...
Read More
Background and objectives: According to the law on the protection and exploitation of forests and pastures, any exploitation of natural resources by individuals or legal persons must be done with the approval and permission of the country's natural resources and watershed management organization. Issuing a license to exploit medicinal plants is one of the most critical natural resource licenses. It has an implementation process. The evidence shows that there are various issues with issuing this license. It is necessary to conduct a scientific investigation to improve and correct the mentioned process. The upcoming research analyzes the licensing process for medicinal plants in the field of natural resources.Methodology: The current research is qualitative and applied. In order to identify the current status of the sadro process and the license to exploit medicinal plants, the qualitative research method of the focus group has been used. This research selected 64 users and 30 experts from 6 provinces. Their points of view were collected and analyzed using content analysis.Results: The results showed that, in total, there are 23 harms in the process of exporting the exploitation of medicinal plants, which are the multiplicity of systems and the lack of an integrated and intelligent system, the lack of a common platform for the implementation of processes in the provinces, the physicality of performing a large part of the processes, unauthorized harvesting and No product license from the plantations, lack of specialized manpower for monitoring, handing over the right of exploitation to non-native people, neglect of some observers in declaring and including the actual amount of production and harvesting of medicinal plants, the small financial and economic power of the operators to prepare the plan booklet, the largest share in the pathology of the licensing process. Also, the results showed that the average time required to obtain a license with a design booklet is 16 months. Without a design booklet, it takes 67 days. This time to get a license to transport the product inside the province was estimated to be 17 days on average and 23 days outside the province.Conclusion: Issuing a license to harvest medicinal plants is one of the most critical licenses in the country's natural resources sector, which has its implementation process. There are various issues and problems in issuing this license, leading to problems and dissatisfaction among the users and, ultimately, damage to the rangelands. Therefore, taking measures to improve affairs and reform this process is a fundamental issue that needs to be investigated and proposed a solution. Based on the findings of this investigation, the creation of an integrated electronic system, continuous and regular field monitoring through intrusive intrusions at the various stages of medicinal plant exploitation, especially in the harvesting phase, with the cooperation of the engineering system organization, the priority of the exploitation contract with natives and local communities, and improving the motivation for public sector experts can be effective in enhancing the process.
Agriculture and horticulture
J. Maleki; E. Sharifi Ashoorabadi; M. Mirza; H. Heydari Sharif Abad; M.H. Lebaschy
Abstract
To investigate the effects of soil fertility methods on economic yield and essential oil compositions of Nigella sativa L., an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included different levels of NPK chemical fertilizer, manure, ...
Read More
To investigate the effects of soil fertility methods on economic yield and essential oil compositions of Nigella sativa L., an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included different levels of NPK chemical fertilizer, manure, NPK+ manure, and NPK+ manure+ inoculation of Azorizobium biofertilizer. Seed yield, aerial parts yield, and percentage, yield, and essential oil compounds were studied. The results showed that the highest seed yield (1270.43 kg.ha-1) was obtained in the 40 kg.ha-1 N+ 32 kg.ha-1 P+ 40 kg.ha-1 K+ 30 ton.ha-1 manure treatment. The highest percentage (0.25%) and essential oil yield (2.8 kg.ha-1) was obtained in the 40 kg.ha-1 N+ 32 kg.ha-1 P+ 40 kg.ha-1 K+ 30 ton.ha-1 manure+ Azurizobium treatment. The highest thymoquinone percentage (14.9%) was observed in the 30 ton.ha-1 manure treatment. Overall, the integrated and biological treatments had the most positive effects on seed yield and essential oil percentage of N. sativa. The use of suitable fertilizer sources not only increased the yield, essential oil percentage, and thymoquinone content in Nigella sativa, but also reduced the consequences of excessive use of chemical fertilizers. The use of integrated fertilization methods is an effective step to achieve the sustainable agriculture goals.
Agriculture and horticulture
Gh.R. Pourshaban Kateshali; Gh.A. Akbari; I. Alahdadi; E. Soltani
Abstract
To evaluate the plant adaptation and effects of irrigation cycles and NPK elements on growth and yield parameters of Zingiber officinale R., a split-plot experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications in two regions including Pakdasht (Tehran ...
Read More
To evaluate the plant adaptation and effects of irrigation cycles and NPK elements on growth and yield parameters of Zingiber officinale R., a split-plot experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications in two regions including Pakdasht (Tehran province) and Lahijan (Gilan province) in 2021. The experimental factors included irrigation cycle at three levels (4 (V1), 6 (V2), and 8 (V3) days) as the main factor and NPK elements at three levels (N300P100K200 (F1), N350P150K250 (F2), and N250P50K150 (F3) (kg.ha-1)) as the sub-factor. The results showed that the irrigation×NPK effects was significant on plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, number of branches per plant, leaf area index, fresh and rhizome dry weight, and rhizome yield at the 1% probability level and on stem diameter at the 5% probability level in Pakdasht region. The V1F2 treatment was the best one in this region. In Lahijan region, the irrigation×NPK effects was significant on number of leaves per plant and rhizome yield at the 1% probability level and on plant height and stem diameter at the 5% probability level. The best result in Lahijan was obtained in the V1F2 treatment. Also, in terms of leaf area, number of branches per plant, and leaf area index, V1 and F2 was the best treatments in Lahijan. Fresh and rhizome dry weight had the best results in the V2 and F2 treatments. Overall, the studied traits in Lahijan climate were superior to Pakdasht climate and every 4 days irrigation for Pakdasht and every 6 days for Lahijan had the best results.
Improvement and breeding
Z. Jamshidiyan; F. Talat
Abstract
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is one of the widely used medicinal plants. Seeds of this plant are heart-strengthening, invigorating, and toothache painkiller and cure bloody diarrhea and typhoid. Due to the tiny seeds, it needs to be cultivated at low depth of soil for successful establishment. ...
Read More
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is one of the widely used medicinal plants. Seeds of this plant are heart-strengthening, invigorating, and toothache painkiller and cure bloody diarrhea and typhoid. Due to the tiny seeds, it needs to be cultivated at low depth of soil for successful establishment. Therefore, it is necessary to use the right method for its cultivation. In the present study, to improve the uniformity in seed germination and increase growth rate and coriander yield, three experiments were conducted as a randomized complete block design (field test) and a completely randomized design (laboratory and greenhouse tests). In the laboratory test, indole-3-acetic acid and humic acid and in the field test, indole-3-acetic acid, humic acid, gibberellin, and zinc improved coriander yield. Also, humic acid pretreatment reduced harmful fatty acids such as myristic acid and palmitic acid, phosphorus pretreatment increased total fat amount, and indole-3-acetic acid increased essential oil content compared to the control. In the greenhouse test, folic acid improved plant yield. Stepwise regression analysis indicated inclusion of seven properties in the predictive model with a determination coefficient of 0.97. Based on the traits correlation results, secondary vigor, root fresh or dry weight, and root diameter were consistent with total dry weight as a dependent trait (significant at the 1% probability level). Overall, coriander seed priming improved the biological functions of seeds, including germination and establishment, by affecting the metabolic, biochemical, and enzymatic status of the seeds. The present results showed that seed priming is a key technology to improve plant yield.
Agriculture and horticulture
S. Heidari; J. Sarhadi; M. Sharif
Abstract
To investigate the effects of organic and chemical fertilizers and their combination on the characteristics of henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) in Southern Kerman province, a factorial farm experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications for two years. The factors included ...
Read More
To investigate the effects of organic and chemical fertilizers and their combination on the characteristics of henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) in Southern Kerman province, a factorial farm experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications for two years. The factors included rotten cattle manure at two levels (0 (a1) and 15 (a2) ton.ha-1) and NPK fertilizer (urea, triple superphosphate and potassium sulfate) at five levels (0 (b1), 25% (b2), 50% (b3), 75% (b4), and 100% (b5) of the soil test basis). At the end of each year, leaf yield and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and lawson concentrations of the leaves were measured in the different treatments. The results of two-year combined analysis showed that the interaction between organic and chemical fertilizer treatments was significant on yield and leaf lawson concentration. The highest leaf dry weight (483.2 g.m-2) was related to the a2b5 treatment which was not significantly different from a2b4 (473.7 g.m-2). The a2b5 and a2b4 treatments had 41.2% and 38.5% better yield than the control, respectively. Also, the a2b5 treatment showed the highest leaf lawson content (30.1 g.plant-1) without significant difference with a2b4 (25.2 g.plant-1). Considering the situation of the study region in terms of non-use of organic fertilizers and also the economic justification of the produced henna, it could be recommended to use 15 ton.ha-1 cattle manure with a 25% reduction of chemical fertilizer NPK for the henna production.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
M. Tavakoli; S. Soltani; M. Tarkesh Esfahani; R. Karamian
Abstract
The Salvia species are of great importance in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries for their secondary metabolites. Although the production of secondary metabolites is encoded by the plant genetic, however, environmental factors have a great influence on their production and composition in plants. ...
Read More
The Salvia species are of great importance in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries for their secondary metabolites. Although the production of secondary metabolites is encoded by the plant genetic, however, environmental factors have a great influence on their production and composition in plants. In this study, to investigate the effects of some climatic factors, topography, and soil parameters on Salvia multicaulis essential oil composition, the plant samples were collected from nine different habitats in Hamadan province during the flowering season. The soil samples were also taken for each plant in the sampling sites. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation (Clevenger apparatus) and its composition was identified by GC and GC/MS. The soil factors were measured according to the relevant protocols and the climatic records were collected from the meteorological stations of Hamadan province. The RDA analysis was used to investigate the effects of different environmental factors on the essential oil composition. Clustering of the studied habitats was performed based on the major compounds of essential oils using the Wards method. The essential oil composition was different in different habitats. The compounds α-pinene (1.3-32.1%), α-phellandrene (1.1-7%), 1,8-cineole (1-17.2%), bornyl acetate (7-16.2%), and β-caryophyllene (9.1-40.6%) were the major ones of this plant essential oil. The RDA results showed that the essential oil content and oxygenated terpenoids percentage increased with increasing altitude, but the hydrocarbon terpenes percentage had an inverse correlation with altitude. The monoterpenes had a positive correlation with the relative humidity, rainfall, and soil organic carbon, but the sesquiterpenes had an inverse relationship with these factors and showed a positive correlation with phosphorus and to some extent with calcium of the soil. The studied habitats clustered into two distinct groups with predominance of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in the essential oil. These findings could be important for commercial exploitation of sage with the aim of extracting specific secondary metabolites in its essential oil.
Agriculture and horticulture
A. Javanmard; M. Rahimi; M. Amani Machiani; M. Janmohammadi; R. Habibi Machiani
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of different irrigation levels and foliar application of nutrients, on dry matter yield and essential oil content and composition of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), a field experiment was conducted as a split plot based on a randomized complete block design, with 12 treatments ...
Read More
To evaluate the effects of different irrigation levels and foliar application of nutrients, on dry matter yield and essential oil content and composition of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), a field experiment was conducted as a split plot based on a randomized complete block design, with 12 treatments and three replications, at the faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Iran in 2021. The factors included irrigation as the main factor at three levels (irrigation after 20 (control), 40 (moderate stress), and 60% (severe stress) of the maximum allowable moisture depletion) and fertilizer source as the sub-factor at four levels (non-application of fertilizer (control), and foliar application of Macromix gold, Ecoquel micromix, and Vitalem forte). The results demonstrated that the highest (280.5 g.m-2) and lowest (113.7 g.m-2) total dry weight were obtained under normal irrigation conditions (control) with the application of Macromix gold and severe stress without fertilizer application, respectively. Total dry weight decreased by 22.7 and 40.3% under moderate and severe drought stress conditions, respectively compared to normal irrigation. Macromix gold, Vitalem forte, and Ecoquel micromix application enhanced the amount of total dry weight by 37.7, 23.8, and 17.1% compared to no fertilizer application, respectively. The highest content (2.1%) and essential oil yield (4.5 g.m-2) and also the highest amount of menthol (40.9%), menthone (28.1%), and cineole (6.2%) in the essential oil were observerd under moderate water stress conditions fertilized with Macromix gold. Based on the obtained results, the foliar application of Macromix gold could be recommended as an effective solution to enhance the quantity and quality of the peppermint essential oil under drought stress conditions.
By-products and their exploitation methods
J. Motamedi; H. Arzani; Y. Asri; M. Najafpour Navaei; R. Khalifehzadeh
Abstract
The knowledge of rangelands suitability is a requirement for the exploitation of medicinal plants of those rangelands. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to evaluate the exploitability of MPs in 12 representative habitats of semi-steppe regions based on the ecological and economic (E&E) ...
Read More
The knowledge of rangelands suitability is a requirement for the exploitation of medicinal plants of those rangelands. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to evaluate the exploitability of MPs in 12 representative habitats of semi-steppe regions based on the ecological and economic (E&E) indices. For this purpose, after measuring the vegetation and estimating the production of MPs, the E&E indices related to the exploitation of MPs in each habitat were calculated. Finally, based on the indices, the suitability class of each habitat was determined according to the FAO guidelines by the limiting factor method. The results showed that the forage available of habitats varied from 90 to 591 kg.ha-1. Also, the share of MPs production in habitats was obtained between 5 and 58%. In other words, the production of MPs in the habitats varied from 27 to more than 383 kg.ha-1. Accordingly, the expected value of each hectare of habitats from the exploitation of MPs, taking into account the discount rate of 5.4% in September 2020, varied from 3 to 41 $.ha-1. Overall, the suitability of the habitats varied between good to unsuitable (25% good, 17% moderate, 25% low, and 33% unsuitable) in terms of production and exploitation of MPs, but all the habitats had good suitability in terms of forage production for grazing. Therefore, the exploitation of all the habitats cannot play an important and equal role in improving the livelihood of pastoralists and with the approach of preserving the plant genetic resources, the exploitation of MPs in all the rangeland habitats could not be recommended. In addition, the permitted exploitation limit in each habitat varies according to the conditions and trend of the rangeland and the sensitivity of the soil to erosion. This issue should be considered in the policy of paying attention to MPs, and it should be emphasized in the multi-purpose rangeland management plans.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
D. Yazdani; M. Ebrahimi; A. Moodi; F. Nabati; M. Pouyan; S. Alvani; F. Jokar Shourijeh
Abstract
South Khorasan province is considered as the largest producer of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in Iran and the lives of a significant part of the locals depend on this product. The spread of jujube pest Monosteira alticarinata Ghauri in recent years, in addition to reducing the crop production, has ...
Read More
South Khorasan province is considered as the largest producer of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in Iran and the lives of a significant part of the locals depend on this product. The spread of jujube pest Monosteira alticarinata Ghauri in recent years, in addition to reducing the crop production, has threatened the health of jujube consumers due to the widespread use of chemical pesticides to control this insect at harvest time. Therefore, the possibility of controlling this pest with formulations of some medicinal plants extracts and essential oils was investigated for the first time in this study. In the laboratory phase, the formulations included Capsicum annuum L. extract (30%)+Allium sativum L. oil (10%), Mentha piperita L. essential oil (10%)+Pelargonium graveolens L’Hér. essential oil (10%), Syzygium aromaticum L. essential oil (30%), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. oil (5%)+Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil (5%), and A. indica oil (5%)+ Th. vulgaris essential oil (5%)+potassium soap (50%) with deltamethrin (0.1%) and water as positive and negative controls, respectively were assayed in bioassay test. The results showed the high efficiency of the 5thformulation, which after four hours with a concentration of 2% caused 100% death of the pest and placed in the same statistical group with deltamethrin (92.5% efficiency in killing the pest). The results of Polo Plus software showed LC50 at a concentration of 0.91% of 5thformulation. The results of field data analysis showed the relative controlling potential of the formulation used in the field surveys, so that after 24, 48, and 72 hours, the insect control percentage at a concentration of 2% of this formulation was 27.43, 43.99, and 56.24%, respectively. These results showed that the fifth herbal formulation (2%) had a good ability to control M. alticarinata and could be used as an alternative to common chemical pesticides after official registration.
Improvement and breeding
A. Negari; M. Jami Al-Ahmadi; G. Zamani
Abstract
Medicinal plants are a rich and valuable source of secondary metabolites that are strongly influenced by the environmental factors, especially drought stress. In this regard, a greenhouse experiment was conducted on Thymus vulgaris L. as split plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications. ...
Read More
Medicinal plants are a rich and valuable source of secondary metabolites that are strongly influenced by the environmental factors, especially drought stress. In this regard, a greenhouse experiment was conducted on Thymus vulgaris L. as split plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot included three levels of moisture supply (40, 65, and 90% of potting soil field capacity (FC)) and the sub-plot was the elicitors levels including (1) control: without elicitor, (2) 150 µM cyclodextrin (CYC), (3) 75 nM coronatine (COR) + 150 µM CYC, (4) 150 nM COR + 150 µM CYC, (5) 150 µM methyl jasmonate (MJ) + 150 µM CYC, and (6) 300 µM MJ + 150 µM CYC. Except for the essential oil percentage, the other traits including the leaves proline content, electrolyte leakage, relative water content, plant height, canopy diameter, dry and fresh weight of shoots, dry weight of leaves and stems, and weight of essential oil had a very significant correlation with each other. The highest amount of leaves proline was obtained form the interaction of elicitors (levels 4 and 6) and the 40% FC level of moisture supply (3.88 and 3.94 μmol g-1 fresh leaf weight, respectively). The highest amount of plant height (28.3 cm), canopy diameter (17 cm), and relative water content (79%) was observed at the 90% FC level of moisture supply. The highest percentage of essential oil was obtained in the treatment of non-application of elicitor (2.67%) and the highest essential oil weight per plant (0.092 g plant-1) was observed in the treatment of non-application of elicitor at the 65% FC level of moisture supply. The mild stress increased the essential oil yield and the elicitor treatments decreased it.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
A.A. Minaeifar; K. Ireji; F. Rasekh; N. Tanideh; A. Ireji; M. Ramezanian
Abstract
Due to the similarity of many medicinal plants and the perfumers ignorance about the science of botany, many unintended frauds are occurring in the supply of medicinal plants, like the presentation of different types of medicinal plants called lemon balm. This study was aimed at identifying the species ...
Read More
Due to the similarity of many medicinal plants and the perfumers ignorance about the science of botany, many unintended frauds are occurring in the supply of medicinal plants, like the presentation of different types of medicinal plants called lemon balm. This study was aimed at identifying the species offered under the name of lemon balm as well as comparing the antioxidant activity and phenolics content of these species. In this study, the species that are offered as lemon balm in the perfumeries of Yazd and Shiraz cities were collected and then scientifically identified using the valid botanical keys. In this study, the anti-radical activity was evaluated by the DPPH test. In addition, the total phenols content was measured by the Folin Ciocalteu method. Based on the results of species identification, it was proved that three species of Asperugo procumbens L., Hymenocrater elegans Bunge, and Melissa officinalis L. are sold in Yazd city under the name of lemon balm and H. elegans had the highest percentage of supply. Two species, M. officinalis and Stachys inflata Benth., also are sold under the name of lemon balm in Shiraz city, where the largest supply belonged to S. inflata. Also, M. officinalis and A. procumbens had respectively the highest and lowest amounts for the traits including total phenols and antioxidant activity.
Biotechnology
R. Saadati; A. Sattarian; A. Daneshvar; E. Amini; F. Nasrollahi
Abstract
DNA barcoding technique is a useful tool for the identification of plant and animal species using a short and standard sequence of the genome. In the present study, this method was used to identify four plant species including Calendula persica C.A.Mey., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Satureja mutica ...
Read More
DNA barcoding technique is a useful tool for the identification of plant and animal species using a short and standard sequence of the genome. In the present study, this method was used to identify four plant species including Calendula persica C.A.Mey., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Satureja mutica Fisch. & C.A.Mey., and Malva neglecta Wallr. from the eastern Golestan province. The DNA was extracted by CTAB method and the PCR was performed with the primers designed based on the rbcL and trnH-psbA chloroplast barcodes and ITS nuclear barcode. The results of sequences were matched with the information in the NCBI database. The results showed that the all three barcodes were suitable for the samples studied due to their high resolution, low SNP number, and comprehensiveness in most species. Also, the barcodes comparison of the species collected from the rangelands and perfumeries showd that some plant species that are offered in the perfumeries are different from the plants that the natives use as medicine. It could be mentioned that the mistakes possibility in the medicinal plants offered in the perfumeries is undeniable. Therefore, the study on the other plant species in the perfumeries by the DNA barcoding method could be recommended as a necessity.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
M. Hejazy; R. Norouzi
Abstract
From the past until now, the plants and their products have been used as food and medicine in the nutrition and treatment of diseases in humans and animals. However, in the popular perception, the herbal nature of a medicinal or food product was equivalent to its lack of toxicity and safety, and the ...
Read More
From the past until now, the plants and their products have been used as food and medicine in the nutrition and treatment of diseases in humans and animals. However, in the popular perception, the herbal nature of a medicinal or food product was equivalent to its lack of toxicity and safety, and the side effects and toxicity of the plants and their products have been less studied. Therefore, the use of a system that incorporates the bioethical considerations, speed, simplicity, and at the same time economic considerations is necessary to estimate the toxicity and determine the LC50 of medicinal plants before consumption. The aim of this study was to use the organism Artemia salina in the evaluation of toxicity and LC50 of some medicinal plants. In this study, the extract toxicity of medicinal plants Rosa damascena Mill., Descurainia sophia (L.) Schur, Ferula assa-foetida L., Colchicum autumnale L., Allium sativum L., and Taxus baccata L. was assessed by determining the LC50 index using the Artemia salina test. The extracts were prepared by the maceration technique. The Artemia salina cysts were hatched out in the artificial seawater at 27 °C and the larvae were then exposed to the plant extracts at the different concentrations (10, 100, and 1000 mg.ml-1) for 24 hours. The concentration needed to kill half of the larvae (LC50) was calculated. The LC50 levels of D. sophia, A. sativum, R. damascena, T. baccata, C. autumnale, and F. assa-foetida were obtained 4812, 3316, 997, 44.07, 10.44, and 2.37 mg.ml-1, respectively. Overall, the results showed that A. salina test could be used as a model in determining the LC50 index for the toxicological tests of herbal products.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
Z. tahami; S.M. Hosseini; A. Valizadeh Ghalebeig
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of a mixture from Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Mentha pulegium L., and Capsicum annuum L. extracts on the relative weight of visceral and gastrointestinal organs, gastrointestinal tract acidity, blood parameters, and tibia characteristics of Ross 308 broilers, an experiment ...
Read More
To evaluate the effects of a mixture from Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Mentha pulegium L., and Capsicum annuum L. extracts on the relative weight of visceral and gastrointestinal organs, gastrointestinal tract acidity, blood parameters, and tibia characteristics of Ross 308 broilers, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five treatments, four replications, and eight chickens per replication. The experimental treatments included basal diet (BD), BD+500 mg kg-1 oxytetracycline, BD+50 mg kg-1 mixed extract, BD+100 mg kg-1 mixed extract, and BD+200 mg kg-1 mixed extract. After 42 days of raising the broilers with the mixed extract, the sampling was performed to evaluate the desired traits. The results showed that the consumption of 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract increased the pancreas and heart weight, relative length of ileum and jejunum, and relative weight and length of tibia and reduced the acidity of duodenum and jejunum compared to the control (p < /em><0.05). The results showed that the experimental treatments did not affect the concentration of blood elements of broilers, but the amount of magnesium and phosphorus in tibia was affected by 50 and 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract (p < /em><0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it could be concluded that the use of 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract improved the performance of broilers by increasing the relative length and weight of gastrointestinal organs and reducing the acidity of gastrointestinal tract.
Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants
A. Abdi Siavashani; M.R. Forouzeh; H. Barani; H. Yegane Badrabadi; S.Z. Mirdeilami
Abstract
Medicinal plants are among the valuable natural resources of countries and can play a significant role in earning income and employment. To utilize the medicinal plants properly, the socio-economic factors affecting the monetization of these plants should be analyzed. Therefore, the present qualitative ...
Read More
Medicinal plants are among the valuable natural resources of countries and can play a significant role in earning income and employment. To utilize the medicinal plants properly, the socio-economic factors affecting the monetization of these plants should be analyzed. Therefore, the present qualitative study was aimed at investigating the various factors affecting the ability to earn money from the medicinal plants of Lazur rangelands in Tehran province. The questionnaire and statistical communities of experts and utilizers were used to collect the required data. The responsive communities were selected based on the reputation analysis and purposeful sampling. This research was conducted in two parts. In the first part, the economic, social, natural, physical-infrastructural, human, and institutional policy factors were compared in pairs and ranked in terms of their contribution to the monetization of medicinal plants. To determine the most effective factor, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used and the judgments were made about the acceptance or rejection of the given ranks using the inconsistency rate. In the second part, some items were considered for each factor and the items were ranked separately on the Likert scale in terms of their role in the monetization. To compare the item rankings, the Mann-Whitney non-parametric analysis was used for two data sets and the Friedman one for more than two data sets. The results showed that in terms of the responsive communities, the economic factor with the first rank and institutional policy factor with the third rank were the most important factors in the monetization of medicinal plants. The physical and natural factors ranked second in terms of the local communities and experts, respectively. The means comparison of the items in the social, physical-infrastructural, and human factors showed that the mean score of items of each factor in the monetization had a statistically significant difference (p < /em>-value<0.05). In general, the results of present study showed that the provision of facilities, governmental support, processing facilities in the region, and coordination of activities of other institutions had the highest rank and therefore a greater role in the monetization of medicinal plants in the region.
Improvement and breeding
S. Rashvand; A.A. Jafari; A.R. Fakhr-Vaezi
Abstract
Lallemantia Fisch. et Mey. is one of the most important medicinal plant genera in Iran, which is highly demanded by Iranian people due to its health benefits. This study was aimed at regenerating and domesticating some wild ecotypes of Lallemantia spp. species. The seeds of nine ecotypes from L. royleana ...
Read More
Lallemantia Fisch. et Mey. is one of the most important medicinal plant genera in Iran, which is highly demanded by Iranian people due to its health benefits. This study was aimed at regenerating and domesticating some wild ecotypes of Lallemantia spp. species. The seeds of nine ecotypes from L. royleana (Benth.) Benth., five ecotypes from L. iberica (M.Bieb.) Fisch. & C.A. Mey., and five ecotypes from L. peltata (L.) Fisch. & C.A.Mey. were prepared from the Natural Resources Gene Bank, Iran and planted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Qazvin Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Iran in 2018. The studied traits included total plant dry weight, seed yield, plant height, plant canopy diameter, and phenological traits including days to flowering and days to seed ripening. The ANOVA between the species was performed first, then the nested ANOVA between the ecotypes within each species. The means comparison of different traits among the ecotypes within each species was done using the Tukey method. In this study, the ecotypes were divided into three separate clusters based on the cluster analysis and biplot diagram. The cluster1 ecotypes belonging to L. iberica had higher seed yield than the other two ones. In L. iberica, the highest seed weight belonged to the ecotype ‘Azadshahr’ (4.5 g plant-1) with an estimated yield of 375 kg ha-1. Finally, the superior class a ecotypes were identified in terms of seed yield and put in the process of seed propagation and certification.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
A. Pourmeidani; H. Tavakoli Neko; M. Ghamghami
Abstract
Since Iran has always faced fluctuations and decreases in the rainfall, and on the other hand, the uncontrolled harvest of water resources have led to a more severe decline in the groundwater resources, the medicinal plants cultivation can help overcome the water deficit crisis. This study aimed at determining ...
Read More
Since Iran has always faced fluctuations and decreases in the rainfall, and on the other hand, the uncontrolled harvest of water resources have led to a more severe decline in the groundwater resources, the medicinal plants cultivation can help overcome the water deficit crisis. This study aimed at determining the ecological suitability of cultivation of four medicinal plants including damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), saffron (Crocus sativus L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) in 36 plains located in the Salt Lake (Namak Lake) catchment. The research methodology included the collection, reconstruction, and quality control of the information, climatic simulation, calculation of the agro-climatological indicators, and estimation of the agriculture share of water resources separately for each plain, estimation of the plant water needs, determination of the moisture balance, preparation of the suitability layers of cultivation, and finally overlaying the layers to produce the suitable/unsuitable agricultural lands for the cultivation of these plants. The climate simulation was performed by the strategic re-sampling technique to generate the different scenarios during the period 2011-2035. All the models under the different scenarios predicted a decrease in the rainfall and an increase in the maximum and minimum temperatures. The EC-EARTH model under the RCP2.6 scenario predicted the highest percentage of rainfall decrease (about 23%) and temperature increase. Due to the salinity and heat stress, the agricultural lands located at Sharifabad plain, northern parts of Qom-Kahak plain agricultural lands, eastern lands of Saveh plain, northern lands of Kashan plain, and southern lands of Varamin plain were unsuitable for the cultivation of all four medicinal species. The cultivation of saffron and damask rose in most of the plains of Salt Lake catchment was suitable or very suitable.
Improvement and breeding
M.M. Fattahi; R. Mahdavi; M. Rezaei; Y. Esmaeilpour
Abstract
This study aimed at determining the optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plant species using hybrid model of AHP-TOPSIS (Analytic Hierarchy Process-Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) in Qom province. First, among the various, diverse and priority criteria for determining ...
Read More
This study aimed at determining the optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plant species using hybrid model of AHP-TOPSIS (Analytic Hierarchy Process-Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) in Qom province. First, among the various, diverse and priority criteria for determining the optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plants, according to the ecological and economic conditions of the study area and with a survey of a number of experts familiar with medicinal plants, screening of criteria and options that were more important and effective in this regard, was done. Finally, six criteria including heat stress threshold, cold stress threshold, soil texture, water EC, water needs, and economic issues and 10 options including Thymus vulgaris, Matricaria chamomilla, Berberis vulgaris, Crocus sativus, Cuminum cyminum, Cichorium intybus, Sesamum indicum, Echium amoenum, Rosa damascena, and Mentha spicata were selected. At first, the weight of each criterion was determined by the paired comparisons with an incompatibility rate of 0.02 using the AHP model and Expert Choice software. Then the TOPSIS technique was used. The results showed that among the criteria for determining the optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plants in Qom province, the highest and lowest weight belonged to the economic issues (cost-benefit) and the soil texture criteria, respectively. Also, C. sativus was the best among the options, and R. damascena, C. cyminum, and E. amoenum were placed in the next ranks. This study showed that the hybrid model of AHP-TOPSIS can be used to evaluate and prioritize the options for determining the optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plants and use the strengths of both models and cover their weaknesses.
Improvement and breeding
Sh. Ahmadi; M.J. Nazarideljou; A. Hassani
Abstract
Many studies have been conducted on the role of essential elements in various aspects of medicinal plant production. However, the role of silicon (Si) as a quasi-essential or beneficial element in the growth and development, quantity and quality of essential oil of many medicinal plants is unknown. In ...
Read More
Many studies have been conducted on the role of essential elements in various aspects of medicinal plant production. However, the role of silicon (Si) as a quasi-essential or beneficial element in the growth and development, quantity and quality of essential oil of many medicinal plants is unknown. In this regard, different concentrations of silicic acid including 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 mg l-1 were added to the standard Hoagland and Arnone nutrient solution, and morphophysiological reactions and secondary metabolites production of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) were evaluated in soilless cultivation (hydroponic system). The fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots increased with the addition of Si to the nutrient solution compared to the control. The percentage of biomass changes varied depending on the concentration of Si, so that the plant fresh weight at 125 mg l-1 of Si increased by 41% compared to the control (without Si). However, the percentage of essential oil (fresh materials) in plants fed with Si increased significantly compared to control. Accordingly, the percentage of essential oil in different Si concentrations including 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg l-1 were 0.16, 0.21, 0.31, 0.33, 0.34 and 0.34(%), respectively. The reaction of lemon balm essential oil compounds to Si also indicated the important role of this element in the quality of the essential oil produced. The highest amounts of geraniol (21.27%) and citral (58.71%) were obtained in concentrations of 50 and 125 mg l-1 of Si, respectively. Also, the most important main compounds in various concentrations of Si (mg l-1) included citral+geraniol (Conc.0), citral+neryl (Conc.25), citral+linalool (Conc.50), citral+caryophyllene oxide (Conc.75), citral+geranyl acetate (Conc.100) and citral+geranyl (Conc.125). Based on the results of the experiment, Si as a beneficial element has a significant effect on the growth and development parameters, yield, and quality of essential oil of lemon balm.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
M. Arbabi; P. Baradaran; S.B. Javadi; D. Shirdel
Abstract
Wild and cultivated medicinal plants are facing the spread of some plant mites’ activity under greenhouse conditions in Iran. The study of mite fauna of medicinal plants in different regions of the country showed that out of 135 plant species collected, 78 species from 35 families were hosts of ...
Read More
Wild and cultivated medicinal plants are facing the spread of some plant mites’ activity under greenhouse conditions in Iran. The study of mite fauna of medicinal plants in different regions of the country showed that out of 135 plant species collected, 78 species from 35 families were hosts of harmful and predatory mites. More than 41 harmful and beneficial plant mite species from 12 families were identified. The plant family Asteraceae with nine plant species had the highest range of plant mite activity. The highest plant host diversity was recorded for Tetranychus urticae and Tydeidae mites with 53 and 16 plant species, respectively. Most of the nutritional symptoms and damages of mites from reduction to the cessation of plant growth caused by T. urticae on Malva sylvestris, Alcea sp. Glycyrrhiza glabra and Solanum transcaucasicum outdoors and on Portulaca oleracea, Mentha sp. and Fragaria sp. under greenhouse conditions. Symptoms of damages of Brevipalpus obovatus (in tea gardens), B. lewisi (on shell of guava fruits), Aculus semenovi (on Sophora alopecuroides), Trisetacus juniperinus (on Cupressus sempervirens), and Aceria sp. (on Lactuca serriola) were considered important. None of the collected predatory mites were effective in controlling T. urticae mites.
Sh. Ahmadi; R,. Dehghani Bidgoli; R. Heydari Soreshjani
Abstract
Medicinal plants, in addition to their role in improving health and human quality of life, can have a positive impact on tourism capacity and tourist attraction. In this study, the economic potential of medicinal plants and its impact on tourism development in Abadanan city of Ilam province was investigated. ...
Read More
Medicinal plants, in addition to their role in improving health and human quality of life, can have a positive impact on tourism capacity and tourist attraction. In this study, the economic potential of medicinal plants and its impact on tourism development in Abadanan city of Ilam province was investigated. The study method was descriptive-analytical with data gathering in the library and field through the distribution of a researcher-made questionnaire. The social classes studied in this study included businessmen, ordinary people, students and teachers. The collected data were analyzed using statistical tests and for a better comparison, the results were presented using structural modeling method by AMOS software. The results showed that the medicinal plants tourism affects the economic indicators item with a weighted regression of 0.52. Also, the economic potential of medicinal plants with the factor loading of 0.494 and family income through the sale of medicinal plants with the factor loading of 0.130 had the highest and lowest indirect impact on tourism of medicinal plants, respectively.