Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
MOHAMMAD KARAMI; Bita Bakhshi; Mohammad-Taghi Ebadi; Mahdi Ayyari
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Nepeta crispa Willd., commonly known as Mofarrah, is an endemic plant of Iran belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Its distribution in Iran is limited to the western region, specifically Hamadan province. In this study, the plant was collected from three habitats in ...
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Background and Objectives: Nepeta crispa Willd., commonly known as Mofarrah, is an endemic plant of Iran belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Its distribution in Iran is limited to the western region, specifically Hamadan province. In this study, the plant was collected from three habitats in Hamadan province, Arzanfood (Hamedan city), Gashani (Tuyserkan city), and Piste Eski (Hamedan city) at elevations of 3021, 2783, and 2686 meters above sea level, respectively, during the flowering stage. The research aimed to investigate the essential oil content and water-soluble volatile compounds (hydrosol) of N. crispa and to compare these compounds across different habitats. The study also sought to identify variations in essential oil main components and hydrosol to evaluate the influence of ecological characteristics on the plant's chemical composition.Methodology: The plant samples were shade-dried, and essential oil was extracted using a Clevenger apparatus for 3 hours. Water-soluble volatile compounds (hydrosol) were collected by leaving the exit part of the Clevenger open to condense vapor into liquid. The hydrosol was then separated using ethyl acetate solvent in a separatory funnel. The essential oil and hydrosol were analyzed using GC-FID and GC/MS.Results: The essential oil yields from the Arzanfood, Gashani, and Piste Eski samples were 2.01%, 1.97%, and 1.82% (w/w), respectively. The concentration of water-soluble volatile compounds in the hydrosol were 0.15, 0.11, and 0.12 grams per 100 ml, respectively. The primary compounds identified in the essential oil were 1,8-cineole (49.4%, 48.5%, and 60%), 4aα,7β,7aα-nepetalactone (27%, 3.7%, and 8.3%), 4aα,7α,7aα-nepetalactone (0.1%, 23.5%, and 7.2%), and β-pinene (4.3%, 5.4%, and 6.1%) for Arzanfood, Gashani, and Piste Eski, respectively. In the hydrosol, the main components were 4aα,7β,7aα-nepetalactone (74.1%, 40.3%, and 57.1%) and α-pinene oxide (4.6%, 7.1%, and 5.2%).Conclusion: The variation in essential oil yield across different habitats highlights the impact of ecological factors on the quantity of essential oil. The highest essential oil yield (2.01%) was observed in the Arzanfood sample, which also has the highest elevation among the studied regions. A total of 22 compounds were identified in the essential oil, with 18, 20, and 17 compounds detected in the Arzanfood, Gashani, and Piste Eski samples, respectively. The dominant compound in the essential oil was 1,8-cineole, while 4aα,7β,7aα-nepetalactone was the most abundant compound in the hydrosol. This study marks the first report on the hydrosol analysis of N. crispa from different habitats.
Agriculture and horticulture
Lida Barahmand Zadeh; Alireza Abdali Mshhadi; Abdolmahdi Bakhshandeh; Alireza Shafeinia; Amin Lotfi Jalal Abadi; Narges Soltani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), a perennial plant from the Gramineae family, is renowned for its rich polyphenol compounds, having significant medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary applications. Enhancing the quantitative and qualitative yield of lemongrass is ...
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Background and Objectives: Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), a perennial plant from the Gramineae family, is renowned for its rich polyphenol compounds, having significant medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary applications. Enhancing the quantitative and qualitative yield of lemongrass is of considerable economic importance. Salicylic acid, a key regulator of physiological and biochemical processes, acts as an elicitor to enhance the accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants. Similarly, nitrogen plays a vital role in plant growth, improving yield quantity and quality. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and salicylic acid on various quantitative and qualitative traits of lemongrass.Methodology: A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted in 2021 at the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources research farm of the University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran. The experiment evaluated the effects of different levels of salicylic acid (0, 10 µM, and 100 µM) and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha from a urea source) on lemongrass. Each treatment was replicated three times. In each fertilizer treatment, 20% of the nitrogen was applied after plant establishment, with the remainder applied in four stages alongside irrigation water to minimize leaching losses based on soil nitrogen content. Salicylic acid was applied via foliar spraying using a backpack sprayer when 70% of each plot was covered by lemongrass, with a second application 15 days later. Each plot measured 3 meters in width with six planting lines, each 3 meters long, 60 cm apart, and plants within lines were spaced 40 cm apart. The soil had a silty clay texture, pH of 7.5, and electrical conductivity of 2.6 dS/m. The studied traits included chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, total fresh and dry weight, antioxidant activity percentage, total phenol content, and essential oil percentage and yield.Results: The interaction between salicylic acid and nitrogen fertilizer significantly influenced all studied traits except antioxidant activity percentage. Nitrogen fertilizer alone significantly affected antioxidant activity, with the highest percentage (89.8%) observed at 150 kg/ha of nitrogen. The highest levels of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll were achieved with no salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, showing increases of 140%, 42%, and 116%, respectively, compared to the control (no salicylic acid or nitrogen). The highest total fresh and dry weight was obtained with 100 µM salicylic acid and 100 kg/ha of nitrogen, representing a 75% increase over the control. The highest essential oil percentage (0.87%) and yield (65.6 g/m²) were observed with 10 µM salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen. In contrast, the lowest essential oil yield (18.29 g/m²) and percentage (0.45%) were recorded in the absence of salicylic acid and nitrogen and with no salicylic acid but 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, respectively.Conclusion: Applying nitrogen fertilizer and salicylic acid enhanced the yield and percentage of essential oil, total dry matter, and total phenol content in lemongrass leaves compared to the control. The highest essential oil yield was achieved with 10 µM salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer, demonstrating the synergistic effects of these treatments on lemongrass productivity and quality.
Agriculture and horticulture
Behrooz Esmaielpour; Elham Shojaei; Rasool Azarmi; Zahra Aslani; Seyed Karim Tahami; Mehdi Davari
Abstract
Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is an aromatic plant from the Lamiaceae family, known for its bioactive compounds, such as thymol and carvacrol, which possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These compounds have applications in various industries, including food and ...
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Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is an aromatic plant from the Lamiaceae family, known for its bioactive compounds, such as thymol and carvacrol, which possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These compounds have applications in various industries, including food and pharmaceuticals. Biofertilizers like mycorrhizal and Trichoderma fungi offer advantages over chemical fertilizers. These include reducing toxic substances in the food cycle, improving soil physical and chemical properties, and being cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. Trichoderma species promote plant growth through various mechanisms, including the biological control of soil-borne diseases by producing enzymes and antibiotics and direct antagonism against pathogenic fungi.Methodology: To evaluate the effect of Trichoderma harzianum on growth parameters, yield, and essential oil composition of savory in organic culture media, a factorial experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replications in the Horticultural Science Greenhouse of Mohaghegh Ardabili University. The experimental treatments consisted of two factors: 1. Organic matter at three levels: Control (soil and sand mixture), Soil and sand mixture with 30% spent mushroom compost and Soil and sand mixture with 30% vermicompost. 2. Trichoderma harzianum inoculation at two levels: Inoculated and Non-inoculated (control). A 2 cm layer of coarse sand was placed at the bottom of the pots to ensure proper drainage. Savory seeds were initially grown in small pots and later transplanted to the main pots at the two- to three-leaf stage. Standard agronomic practices, such as irrigation and weeding, were maintained throughout the experiment. At the end of the study, vegetative traits (plant height, leaf area, dry weight of stem and root, number and length of secondary branches), physiological traits (chlorophyll index), nutrient content (N, K, P, Mg, Zn), and essential oil yield and composition were assessed.Results: The results demonstrated that organic fertilizers and Trichoderma inoculation significantly improved vegetative growth and quality traits compared to the control. The highest dry weight of aerial organs (4.82 g) was recorded in the vermicompost treatment, while Trichoderma inoculation resulted in 4.87 g. The highest chlorophyll index (26.86) was observed in plants treated with Trichoderma and vermicompost. Nutrient analysis showed that Trichoderma inoculation significantly increased phosphorus (3606.3 mg/kg), nitrogen (2.55%), and magnesium (55.64 mg/kg) content. In organic substrate treatments, vermicompost application resulted in the highest levels of zinc (47.87 mg/kg), nitrogen (3.06%), and phosphorus (4143 mg/kg). The highest carvacrol content (71.90%) was observed in Trichoderma-inoculated plants, while the highest essential oil yield (0.599 mL per pot) was found in plants treated with Trichoderma and vermicompost.Conclusion: The findings suggest that organic substrates combined with Trichoderma fungus can serve as an effective alternative to chemical fertilizers, enhancing both yield and essential oil quality in the organic cultivation of savory.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
M. Sadeghimanesh; Z. Jafarian; J. Ghorbani; R. Azimi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Thymus lancifolius Celak. is one of the exclusive species of thyme genus in Iran, possessing high economic and medicinal value due to its high phenolic compounds. Considering the indiscriminate harvesting from thyme habitats, low production and non-standard quantity and quality ...
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Background and objectives: Thymus lancifolius Celak. is one of the exclusive species of thyme genus in Iran, possessing high economic and medicinal value due to its high phenolic compounds. Considering the indiscriminate harvesting from thyme habitats, low production and non-standard quantity and quality of bioactive ingredients due to the high genetic diversity of thyme, the domestication of T. lancifolius Celak. species and its standardization is one of the goals of this study. In this regard, the quantity and quality of this species' essential oil (EO) were investigated and compared in habitat and field conditions.Methodology: In order to investigate the effects of environmental factors on the quantitative and qualitative production of T. lancifolius Celak. in the field and habitat conditions (five habitats of Rezen, Asadabad, Hamedan, Malayer, and Toyserkan), this species was planted in the Ekbatan station through seed propagation, in the form of a complete randomized block design with three replications. The EO of plants at the full flowering stage were extracted using the hydrodistillation method, and the chemical compounds of EO were measured and identified by GC and GC/MS devices.Results: The comparison of the EO percentage of T. lancifolius populations shows that there is a significant difference in the habitat, so the Asadabad habitat had the highest EO percentage (3.85%), and the Malayer habitat had the lowest EO (1.94%). The amount of EO of the populations in the field also has a significant difference, so the highest percentage of EO (4.18%) is related to the Asadabad population and the lowest is related to Malayer (1.78%). In the populations of Asadabad and Toyserkan, the percentage of EO from the field was more than that of the habitat, but in the populations of Razan, Hamedan, and Malayer, the higher EO belongs to the habitat. Compounds in all populations are almost similar in habitat and field conditions but differ in the type of dominant compounds and their amount. The result of the cluster analysis of the important bioactive constituents of the EO in the five studied populations indicates the existence of two types of chemical types (chemotypes), including thymol (chemotype 1) and geraniol/geranyl acetate (chemotype 2) in both field and habitat conditions. In the EO of four populations of T. lancifolius related to chemotype 1, the main compounds include thymol (habitat: 52.2-71.4%, field: 49.4-68.1%), carvacrol (habitat: 4.5-23.5%, field: 3.9-25.5%), p-cemen (habitat: 4.3-6.1%, field: 4.6-6.6%), and γ-terpinene (habitat: 3.9-9.3%, field: 5.7-8.9%). In this chemotype, the highest amount of thymol (71.4%) was observed in the Hamedan habitat, and the highest amount of phenolic compounds (80%) was found in the Malayer habitat. In the Razan population related to chemotype 2, bioactive constituents including geraniol (habitat: 52.1%, field35.8%), geranyl acetate (habitat: 22%, field: 16%), linalool (habitat: 6.3%, field: 14.7%), and thymol (habitat: 7%, farm: 12%) formed the main compounds of the EO.Conclusion: According to the results of examining the quantity and quality of EO of different populations of T. lancifolius Celak., two main chemotypes, including the thymol chemotype and the geraniol/geranyl acetate chemotype, can be introduced for the domestication and cultivation of this species in Hamadan province to prevent the destruction of thyme plants while using them in the pharmaceutical industry.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
Fatemeh Nejad-Alimoradi; Mansoureh Khodashenas; Farkhondeh Rezanejad
Abstract
Background and objectives: Nepeta, with 300 species, is one of the largest genera in the Lamiaceae family. Seventy-five species of this genus are distributed in Iran, many of which are endemic. Due to the medicinal importance and traditional uses of its various species, much research has been conducted ...
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Background and objectives: Nepeta, with 300 species, is one of the largest genera in the Lamiaceae family. Seventy-five species of this genus are distributed in Iran, many of which are endemic. Due to the medicinal importance and traditional uses of its various species, much research has been conducted to identify their secondary metabolites. Nepetalactone, cineole, and phenolic compounds have been reported as their main compounds, and most have medicinal, antimicrobial, and industrial properties. The amount of these compounds varies in different parts of the plant and different species and populations. Nepeta bornmulleriHausskn. ex Bornm. is endemic to Iran and is a type specimen from Kerman province. Although secondary metabolites have been studied in many species of this genus, more research is needed on N. bornmulleri. Therefore, the morphology, quantity, and quality of antioxidant compounds and essential oils were investigated in the plant's two vegetative and generative parts.Methodology: Vegetative (stem and leaf) and generative (flower and fruit) parts of N. bornmulleri were collected in May 2023 from Rayen city (Kerman province) at an altitude of 2450 meters. The used generative parts were 80% flowers and 20% unripe fruits. The size of the plant, its vegetative form, and the structure of the inflorescence and flower were examined and photographed with the naked eye or stereomicroscope so that researchers could identify them quickly. Biochemical compounds, including phenolic compounds and essential oil, were studied in vegetative and generative parts. Total phenolic compounds, including total phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins from fresh samples, were studied by spectrophotometric method. The phenolic compounds and anthocyanins profile were investigated using dried samples with HPLC. The analysis of essential oil was done using dry samples with gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Essential oil extraction was done by distillation with water using Clevenger. The experiment was conducted in a completely random design, including two types of vegetative (stem and leaf) and generative (flower and fruit) organs with three replications.Results: Morphological studies of N. bornmulleri showed that in the studied area, the height of the species is about 10-25 cm with hairy basal (rosette) leaves, apical and dense head-like inflorescence, purple-blue synpetal corolla with bilobate apex, synsepal calyx. The Androecium comprises four purple stamens of equal length (didynamous stamens) and an upper pistil with tetra-achene schizocarp fruit surrounded by persistent sepals. The total content of phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins in flowering branches (generative) was significantly higher than in leaves and stems (vegetative parts). The profile of phenolic and anthocyanin compounds by HPLC showed that ten phenolic compounds and three anthocyanin compounds were identified in the generative part, and six phenolic compounds and two anthocyanin compounds were identified in the vegetative part. The most phenolic compound observed in both vegetative and generative parts was luteolin, while malvidin-glucoside was recorded as the most anthocyanin compound. The amount of malvidin-glucoside in the generative part was twice that of the vegetative part. The percentage of essential oil in vegetative and generative parts was observed at 0.2 and 0.1, respectively. In the essential oils of vegetative and reproductive parts, respectively, 10 (69.41%) and 16 (89.29%) identified compounds and 9 (14.59%) and 4 (6.21%) unidentified compounds were reported, which in total 84% and 95.5% constituted the essential oil.The main components of the essential oil of the vegetative part include spatholenol (31.2%), 1,8-cineole (14.5%), hexadecanoic acid (10.6%), myrtenol (9.7%), caryophyllene oxide (6.4%). ) and trans-pinocarveol (4.4%). In the generative part, 1,8-cineole (31.7%), spatholenol (16.2%), myrtenol (14.14%), dihydro nepetalactone (6.92%), trans-pinocarveol (6.7%), pinocarovone (5.2%) and caryophyllene oxide (4.5%) were the main components of the essential oil.Conclusion: Based on the results, the quantity and quality of phenolic compounds, anthocyanin, and essential oil in the generative part were higher than in the vegetative part of the studied species. So, it is suggested that the generative parts of the plant be used to obtain antioxidant compounds. The amount of nepetalactone, which is significant in most species of Nepeta, was relatively low in this species, while spatholenol and 1, 8-cineole were the main compounds. Considering the numerous medicinal and industrial applications of the two dominant species combinations on the one hand and the exclusivity and limited distribution of the species on the other hand, it is essential to preserve its different populations.
Agriculture and horticulture
O. Heidarpour; B. Esmaielpour; A. Soltani; zahra aslani
Abstract
Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants that grows in different parts of the world, including Iran. Water deficit has adverse effects on physiological processes such as photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, ...
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Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants that grows in different parts of the world, including Iran. Water deficit has adverse effects on physiological processes such as photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, development and division of cells, and accumulation and transfer of nutrients, thus reducing the performance of plants. In contrast, biofertilizers play a prominent role in the growth and development of plants by improving the absorption of nutrients and sufficient water through changes in the physicochemical properties of the soil. This study aimed to investigate the effect of drought stress, growth-promoting bacteria (PGPRS) and vermicompost on the yield, amount of nutrients and essential components of the savory plant.
Materials and methods: A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Research Farm at the Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Iran, from 2016-2017. Treatments included three levels of drought stress (Full irrigation (S1), Water cut at 50% of flowering (S2), and water cut in early stages of flowering (S3), four vermicompost levels (including 0, 1, 1.5 and 2 t. ha-1) and included inoculation with microorganisms at three levels (non-inoculation, inoculation with Streptomyces and Pseudomonas fluorescens p15). Before planting, the seeds were inoculated with biological stimulants. Then, seeds were cultivated in rows at a distance of 25 cm between the rows, 20 cm on rows and at a depth of 0.5 cm. To apply the irrigation treatment, the field's soil was investigated in the horizon of the plant roots up to a depth of 20 cm by digging a profile. The weight method was used to control water. Field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) were measured using intact samples 24 hours after soil saturation for field capacity and placed in a suction device with 15 atmospheres of negative pressure for permanent wilting point. The corresponding values for the soil at a depth of 0 to 30 cm were determined according to the layering of the soil, and from their difference, the amount of usable soil water (AW) was determined. During the test, the usable water (depending on the plant's growth stage) was determined by the soil sampling cylinder and transferred to the oven in the form of moisture percentage by weight. The examined parameters included plant height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and concentration of phosphorus, potassium, and essential oil components.
Results: Based on the obtained results, drought stress, vermicompost, and inoculation with PGPRS had a significant effect on the measured parameters. So that the maximum plant height (62.36 cm), shoot dry weight (28.72 grams) and root dry weight (6.35 grams), phosphorus (1.3 percent) and potassium absorption (3.3 percent) were obtained under non-stress conditions, application of vermicompost two tons per hectare of and inoculation with Streptomyces bacteriaand the lowest amount of plant height (22.33 cm), shoot dry weight (18.33 grams), dry weight roots (3.07 grams), phosphorus (0.85 percent) and potassium (1.2 percent) were observed in the planting beds without vermicompost application and non-inoculation with biological stimulants and in severity drought stress. Also, the highest amount of carvacrol (62%) and gamma-terpinene (26.9%) was obtained in the treatment of severe drought stress and beds containing two tons per hectare of vermicompost in plants inoculated with Streptomyces.
Conclusion: Vermicompost with growth-promoting bacteria can be a sustainable agricultural fertilizer containing beneficial microorganisms that improve the growth performance and essential components of savory plants under drought stress and non-stress conditions.
Agriculture and horticulture
Kosar Taheri Boukani; Abbas Hassani; MirHassan Rasouli-Sadaghiani; Mohsen Barin; Ramin Maleki
Abstract
Background and objectives: Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its fresh and dried leaves and essential oils are used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. In recent years, the use of symbiosis with plant beneficial rhizospheric ...
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Background and objectives: Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its fresh and dried leaves and essential oils are used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. In recent years, the use of symbiosis with plant beneficial rhizospheric microorganisms including rhizobacteria and endophytic fungi has been considered as a cost-efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate the adverse effects of environmental stresses such as salinity. Therefore, the present study was conducted in the research greenhouse of Urmia University. It evaluated the effect of inoculation with growth-promoting microorganisms on some growth, physiological, and phytochemical characteristics of basil plants under salt-stress conditions.Methodology: This research was conducted as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. The experimental factors were inoculation with microorganisms at three levels (control without inoculation, inoculation with Serendipita indica, and inoculation with a mixture of Pseudomonas areuginosa, P. putida, and P. fluorescens) and salinity stress at four levels (0, 40, 80 and 120 mM of NaCl). For inoculation, the germinated seeds were separately inoculated with S. indica suspension (5×105 spores per ml) and inoculum containing a mixture of Pseudomonas bacteria (1.61×109 cells per ml) and planted in prepared pots. The pots were irrigated with ordinary tap water until the plants were eight-leafed, and from this stage onwards, salinity stress treatments were applied by dissolving different concentrations of NaCl in the irrigation water and continued until the full flowering stage. In the full flowering stage, plant samples were collected and root colonization percentage by fungus, growth parameters (plant height, stem diameter, number and total length of lateral branches, leaf number and area, inflorescence length, fresh and dry weight of leaf and stem), leaf relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments, concentration of leaf nutrients (N, P, K, Na and Cl), essential oil content and yield were evaluated. For essential oil extraction, shade-dried samples were hydro-distilled using a Clevenger-type apparatus.Results: The results showed that due to salinity stress, the percentage of root colonization by S. indica, growth parameters, RWC, photosynthetic pigments, essential oil content, yield, N, P, and K content, and K/Na ratio decreased while Na and Cl content increased. In addition, all evaluated parameters in inoculated plants were higher than in non-inoculated plants except Na and Cl content. The highest and lowest rates of growth parameters, RWC (74.47 and 72.39%), essential oil yield (0.23 and 0.17 ml/pot), and N content of leaves (1.36 and 1.14%) were obtained in plants inoculated with S. indica and non-inoculated plants, respectively. The highest and lowest amounts of chlorophyll a (0.87 and 0.74 mg/g fw), chlorophyll b (0.41 and 0.37 mg/g fw), essential oil percentage (1.24 and 1.05%), K content (5.15 and 3.97%), P content (0.29 and 0.24%) and the K/Na ratio (10.05 and 4.07), were observed in plants inoculated with a mixture of Pseudomonas bacteria and non-inoculated plants, respectively. Also, the lowest Na (1.34%) and Cl (2.93%) accumulation was observed in plants inoculated with Pseudomonas bacteria and S. indica fungus, respectively.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (S. indica fungus and a mixture of Pseudomonas bacteria) can alleviate adverse effects of salinity stress on the growth and essential oil production of the basil plant by increasing the absorption of water and nutrients, preserving photosynthetic pigments and reducing the accumulation of toxic ions.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
Fatemeh Mahdi-Navasi; B. Abaszadeh; Vahid Abdossi; Razieh Azimi; Marjan Dyanat
Abstract
Bachground and objective: Satureja mutica Fisch & C.A. Mey is a perennial plant that can be cultivated under irrigation conditions and in rainfed drylands. It has anti-flatulent, appetizing, sexual enhancement, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects. Drying increases product ...
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Bachground and objective: Satureja mutica Fisch & C.A. Mey is a perennial plant that can be cultivated under irrigation conditions and in rainfed drylands. It has anti-flatulent, appetizing, sexual enhancement, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects. Drying increases product shelf life by stopping enzymes, pathogens, and microorganisms. The factors that affect essential oils and their content are temperature, drying time, and the type of plant. Microwaves for drying are one of the newer methods. Their advantages include shortening drying time, maintaining quality, reducing energy consumption, preserving dried plants' color, and improving effective ingredients.Methodology: The flowering shoots were collected from the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands research farm in 2019. Plants in the insectarium were exposed to UV-B light treatment through UV-B lamps. The plants were turned over every half hour. Irradiation agents were selected based on the preliminary test, including durations of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 hours. After irradiation, the samples were stored in sealed bags under two conditions: refrigerator at 4°C and room temperature. The storage time was 0, 120, and 240 hours. Therefore, the sources of variation include irradiation duration in four levels (0, 2.5, 5, and 10 hours), storage conditions in two conditions (room temperature 25-27°C and fridge with a temperature of 4°C), and storage duration factor in three levels (0, 120 and 240 hours).202 grams of fresh samples (equivalent to 80 grams of dry matter) and 80 grams of dried samples in other treatments were extracted by water distillation in 3 repetitions for 2 hours. The obtained essential oils were stored in sealed bottles inside the refrigerator at 4 °C until injected into GC and GC/MS devices for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Carbohydrate, phenol, and free radical inhibition (by the DPPH method) were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18, and the means were compared with the LSD test at P ≥ 0.05.Results: Variance analysis of essential oil percentage showed that UV-B factor, storage condition (SC), storage time (ST) at the 1% level, and SC ST interaction at the 5% level had a significant effect. Due to the increase in irradiation duration, the percentage of essential oil extracted from the plant increased. This percentage increased to 0.42% in the control and 0.71% in the 10-hour treatment. Based on a mean comparison, the amount of essential oil in the shade increased from 0.48% to 0.54%. Mean comparison of the effect of storage conditions (SC) on storage time (ST) revealed that the highest percentage was related to the shade storage treatment for 240 hours with 0.61%. The mean comparison of the interaction effect of the three treatments showed that the percentage of thymol was the highest at 45% in the conditions without irradiation refrigerator×without storage. The results of the simple correlation of the traits demonstrated that thymol had a significant negative relationship with α-thujone, α-terpenine, and carvacrol. Carvacrol showed a significant negative correlation with major compounds, paracymene and thymol. It was observed that the highest antioxidant activity was obtained from 10 hours of UV-B radiation. A mean comparison of the effect of UV-B rays on the amount of phenol indicated that its amount increased in the 2.5-hour treatment compared to the other treatments. The highest antioxidant percentage could be achieved after 10 hours of irradiation in the refrigerator for 240 hours.Conclusion: The conversion of compounds occurs by irradiation of UV-B rays in the drying stages, and the amount of paracymene and thymol is reduced, and the amount of carvacrol is increased. Therefore, in S. mutica, which has thymol and carvacrol compounds, drying treatments aiming to increase the specific composition can be very effective. Also, the amount of thymol and carvacrol in dried plants may decrease compared to fresh plants. The increase in antioxidant activity in the treatment of 10 hours of UV-B radiation confirms the viability of plant cells and their efforts to prevent environmental stress through the increase of antioxidant enzymes.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
Pooran Golkar; Golnaz Arab; Mohammad Reza Vahabi; Hamidrez Eshghizadeh
Abstract
Background and objectives: Ammi visnaga L. is a medicinal and aromatic plant in the Apiaceae family. The essential oils of this plant have highly valuable aromatic compounds with valuable therapeutic and nutritional properties. Environmental stresses affect the quantity and quality ...
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Background and objectives: Ammi visnaga L. is a medicinal and aromatic plant in the Apiaceae family. The essential oils of this plant have highly valuable aromatic compounds with valuable therapeutic and nutritional properties. Environmental stresses affect the quantity and quality of essential oils (EOs) in medicinal plants. This study was carried out to evaluate the independent and combined effects of salinity and drought stresses on EOs (%) and their chemical constituents in different organs of A. visnaga (seeds and head branches) under field conditions.Methodology: This study was carried out in the research farm of Isfahan University of Technology located in Lavark, Najafabad, using a split-plot design with three replications. Each replicate consisted of two rows (3 m long) of A. visnaga seeds. Different levels of salinity stress and drought stress were considered as main plots and subplots, respectively. Three levels of salinity stress [S1 (0 mM NaCl), S2 (80 mM NaCl), and S3 (80 mM NaCl)] and three drought stress levels based on soil depletion rate [D1: normal 50%, D2: moderate stress 60% and D3: severe stress 85%] were applied. Applying salt and drought stresses simultaneously started at the flowering stage (10%) and continued until the full maturity stage. After the full maturity stage of the plants, seed yield was measured. Then, the EOs extraction was done based on the Clevenger method in about 4 hours from head branches and seed samples for all studied treatments. The chemical constituents were identified using Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) techniques.Results: The independent and combined stresses of drought and salinity caused a significant increase in EOs (%) of A.visnaga. The highest EOs in the head branch (1.26%) were detected under non-drought and medium salinity stress conditions (D1S1). The lowest EOs (0.25%) were observed under non-drought and non-salinity conditions (D1S1). The highest EOs (0.25%) in seed samples were observed under D2S2 conditions (moderate drought and salinity stress), but the least amount (0.12%) was found under D1S2 conditions (moderate salinity stress) and D1S3 (severe salinity stress). The analysis of essential EOs identified 25 compounds in both seeds and head branch samples. These compounds belong to six main chemical groups. The most and lowest compounds belonged to the groups of hydrocarbon monoterpenes and oxygenated diterpenes in both branches and seeds, respectively. Cembrene was identified as the main chemical compound in seed and head branch EOs. The lowest values for cembrene were reported as 23.32 % and 26.16% in seed and head branch EOs, respectively. The highest values for cembrene were reported as 33.31% and 36.62% in seed and head branch EOs under treatment. The compound 2-methyl-2-methylbutyl ester was identified as the second most abundant compound in the head branches and seeds of A. visnaga. The highest amount of this compound was observed in seed EOs (9.38%) under mild drought and mild salinity stress (D2S2), and the highest amount of this compound was observed in head branch EOs (18.5%) under mild drought stress (D2S1) conditions.Conclusion: According to the study results, drought and salinity stress caused a quantitative and qualitative increase in A. visnaga EOs. Considering the climatic conditions of the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran and the consequent gradual salinization of soils, this plant can be considered a plant of choice in medicinal plant breeding programs, as well as goals related to the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Improvement and breeding
Najmeh Hadi; Razieh Azimi; Mahdi Yahyazadeh; Maryam Mackizadeh; S. Fekri Qomi; Simin Mohit
Abstract
Background and objectives: Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a valuable medicinal plant with many applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic health industries. Chamomile's biological properties are attributed to its essential oil (EO) compounds, especially chamazulene and a-bisabolol ...
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Background and objectives: Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a valuable medicinal plant with many applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic health industries. Chamomile's biological properties are attributed to its essential oil (EO) compounds, especially chamazulene and a-bisabolol oxide A, and flavonoids, esp. apigenin and luteolin. Evaluation of wild plant populations belonging to different geographical regions in situ (study on wild samples) and ex-situ (study on wild samples under agricultural conditions) is a crucial step in plant breeding and selection of promising genotypes. On the other hand, cultivation and domestication of wild plants under agricultural conditions improve plant yield and prevent unnecessary harvesting and extinction of the plant. In the present study, the quantitative and qualitative EO diversity of some wild chamomile was investigated.Methodology: Flowers and seeds of 15 wild chamomile populations were collected from Iran's natural habitats, including 12 populations from Khuzistan province (Kh1-12), 2 populations from Fars province (F1-2), and 1 population from Bushehr province (F3) in 2021 (February-May). Flowers were used for essential oil extraction, and seeds were planted in a randomized complete block design (treatment = genotype) with three replications. The research farm located at Alborz Research Station, affiliated with the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Alborz province, was considered a cultivation site without adding fertilizer to the soil. The seeds were sown directly in the field with a 15 cm distance between the planting lines and 15 cm between the plants on the lines (April 2021). Drip irrigation was used, and weeding was done mechanically. Flowers with less than 5 cm of peduncles were harvested manually at the 70% full bloom stage. The shade-dried flower EOs were extracted by water distillation (Clevenger) for 3 hours, and their quantitative and qualitative analysis was done using GC and GC/MS.Results: The results showed that sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated sesquiterpenes, and diacetylenes made the highest EO compounds percentage in both wild and cultivated samples. Chamazulene (from sesquiterpene hydrocarbons) and a-bisabolol oxide A (from oxygenated sesquiterpenes), as two important chamomile EO compounds, showed an increase from wild to cultivated samples. Among the wild samples, the highest chamazulene (5.3%) and a-bisabolol oxide A (21.5%) contents were assigned to the populations Kh8 and Kh4, respectively. In the cultivated samples, the highest amount of these compounds (11.1 and 32.3%, respectively) was obtained in the populations Kh7 and F2, respectively. In general, the main EO compounds (%) in the wild and cultivated populations included α-bisabolone oxide A (wild: 31.3 (F1) to 64.5 (Kh3) and cultivated: 29.8 (F2) to 56 (Kh3)), α-bisabolol oxide A (wild: 5.8 (Kh5) to 21.5 (Kh4) and cultivated: 10.3 (Kh3) to 32.3 (F2)), E-β-farnesene (wild: 6.1 (Kh3) to 23.3 (Kh8) and cultivated: 6.9 (Kh1) to 15.6 (F3)), Z-spiroether (wild: 0 (F1) to 16.1 (Kh1) and cultivated: 9.1 (Kh7) to 15.1 (Kh13)), and chamazulene (wild: 1.6 (F1) to 5.3 (Kh8) and cultivated: 4.7 (Kh6) to 11.1 (Kh7)). Also, the EO% was obtained more in the cultivated samples (0.9 (Kh5) to 1.4% (Kh13)) than in the wild ones (0.1 (Kh6) to 0.5% (Kh10).Conclusion: The results of this research showed that by cultivating wild populations under agricultural conditions and water and crop management, it is possible to have essential oil in the desired quantity and quality compared to wild ones. It should be noted that the results of repeating population cultivation under the same conditions in the following years will be reported in proportion to the data output.
Agriculture and horticulture
J. Hashempour; S. Asadi-Sanam; M. Mirza; M. Ghanbari Jahromi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.) is one of the most wellknown medicinal plant species with high economic value worldwide. In Iran, this species' roots and shoots are used in herbal medicines. Many types of phytomedicine are commercially produced from Echinacea aerial ...
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Background and objectives: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.) is one of the most wellknown medicinal plant species with high economic value worldwide. In Iran, this species' roots and shoots are used in herbal medicines. Many types of phytomedicine are commercially produced from Echinacea aerial portions for boosting the nonspecific immune system and treating the common cold. Environmental and health costs of chemical fertilizers have led researchers to meet plant nutritional needs using chemical, organic and biological fertilizers. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of organic and biological fertilizers on morphological traits, shoot and root dry matter, and essential oil percentage and yield in the leaves and stems of coneflower plants.Methodology: This experiment was conducted on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Iran, in 2018-2019. Treatments included control, NPK (N50P25K25; N75P35K35 and N100P75K75 Kg.ha-1), manure (30, 60 and 90 ton.ha-1), vermicompost (5, 10, and 15 ton.ha-1), N50P25K25 fertilizer + 30 ton.ha-1 manure, N50P25K25 + 5 ton.ha-1 vermicompost, biological fertilizers including Glomus intraradaices + G. mosseae, Azospirillum + Pseudomonas, Thiobacillus + 5 ton.ha-1 vermicompost and Thiobacillus + 250 Kg.ha-1 of sulfur (S). Before applying fertilizer treatments, a soil analysis was done. After applying fertilizer treatments, the physical and chemical properties of the soil were also determined. The treatments were selected based on the fertilizer requirements of the plant as well as soil test results. Parameters such as plant height, leaf, stem, and flower numbers, root penetration depth, root volume, leaf, stem, root, and flower dry matter, leaf, stem, and flower essential oil, and essential oil yield of leaves, stems, and flowers were evaluated. At the full flowering stage, samples were taken from aerial segments of plants in all treatment groups. After shade-drying, the samples through a Clevenger-type apparatus were hydro-distillated to obtain the essential oil. The oil percentage, as well as yield, was calculated based on the dry weight.Results: The results showed that the highest leaf and stem dry matter was observed in the 15-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treatment. A 5-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treated with NPK fertilizers displayed the highest flower dry matter. On the other hand, the highest root dry matter was obtained in the treatment with 30 tons.ha-1 manure + NPK fertilizers. The highest flower essential oils yield was obtained in ton.ha-1 manure + NPK fertilizers. The highest leaf + stem oil yields were found at the flowering stage in 15 tons.ha-1 vermicompost. Also, NPK treatment + 30 tons.ha-1 of manure resulted in the highest yield of flower essential oil. 15-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treatment yielded the highest stem and leaf essential oil yield. Only the organic fertilizer group (CM vs. V5) and the biofertilizer group (GM and GI vs. T) showed an increase in flower essential oil yield compared to the other nutritional treatments. In the leaf+stem essential oil yield results, all comparisons between treatment groups showed a significant effect, except for the organic fertilizer group (CM vs. V5). Compared to the NPK group, the biofertilizer and organic fertilizer group yielded the highest leaf+stem essential oil yield.Conclusion: It was concluded that biological fertilizers treatment combined with organic fertilizers could be a suitable alternative to chemicals in the sustainable production of this valuable medicinal plant. These findings suggested that biofertilizers and organic fertilizers can benefit Echinacea purpurea cultivation because, when combined, they enhance the essential oil percentage and yield.
Agriculture and horticulture
F. Noormand Moaied; B. Abaszadeh; N. Valizadeh
Abstract
Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja spp.) has a special position among medicinal plants due to its valuable compounds, such as thymol and carvacrol. Savory is one of the genera of the Lamiaceae family, and this genus has 16 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in Iran. Due to the ...
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Background and objectives: Savory (Satureja spp.) has a special position among medicinal plants due to its valuable compounds, such as thymol and carvacrol. Savory is one of the genera of the Lamiaceae family, and this genus has 16 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in Iran. Due to the high amount of essential oil, Satureja species are highly economically and medically important in the food, cosmetic, health, and pharmaceutical industries. This research aimed to increase the quantitative and qualitative yield of Satureja sahendica Bornm. essential oil with appropriate plant nutrition.Methodology: This research was carried out under irrigation conditions in the form of a randomized complete block design with eight fertilizer treatments (no fertilizer, N50, P25, K25(kg.ha-1), Cow Manure(30, 60 ton.ha-1), Cow Manure(30, 60 ton.ha-1)+ N50, P25, K25(kg.ha-1), Vermi-compost(5 ton.ha-1), Vermi-compost(5 ton.ha-1)+ N50, P25, K25(kg.ha-1)) in three replications over four years (2017-2020) in East Azarbaijan province. Cultivation was indirect and through grafting. Seedlings were prepared in greenhouse conditions by growing seeds in seedling trays with a mixture of peat moss, cocopeat, and perlite in a ratio 4:2:1. The treatments were applied only once, simultaneously with the plot preparation and before the planting stage. This was done by hand spraying and mixing with the soil. The plot dimensions were 4 x 3 meters, the distance between the planting lines was 50 cm, and the distance between the plants on the line was set to 30 cm. The irrigation method was drip irrigation twice a week in the early stages of growth and once a week after establishment. Weed weeding was also done during the growing season. Plant height, flowering date, crown area, and green shoot yield were measured during the cropping season. Essential oil was extracted by distillation with distilled water, and essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS).Results: Based on the results, all traits showed a significant difference between different fertilizer treatments. The highest yield of flowering branches was 1974 kg.ha-1 (6% increase compared to the control) and the yield of essential oil was 22.25 kg.ha-1 (9% increase compared to the control), and the highest quality of essential oil (sum of phenolic compounds thymol and carvacrol) is 61.89% (18% increase in comparison to the control) with treatment of Cow Manure(60 ton.ha-1)+ N50, P25, K25(kg.ha-1) were obtained. To be economical, cow manure (60 tons per hectare) can also be used alone. With regards to 50% flowering, the latest product was a control treatment (without fertilizer) with 160.25 days, while the earliest product was Cow Manure (60 tons.ha-1) +N50, P25, K25 (kg.ha-1) with 155.33 days. The main components of the essential oil were Thymol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene, respectively. The results of the average percentage of phenolic compounds thymol and carvacrol as essential oil quality in each fertilizer treatment and each year showed that the average quality of essential oil in the first year was 53.13%, in the second and third years it was 63.98 and 63.54, respectively. The percentage decreased to 47.93% in the fourth year.Conclusion: The use of fertilizer treatments, especially animal manures, along with chemical fertilizers, in addition to increasing yield, also causes early ripening. Early harvesting of the first layer allows the second layer to use the growing season optimistically and avoid autumn cold. As the plant age increases, the yield of essential oil increases, but the product is later, and the quality also decreases. Accordingly, Cow Manure(60 ton.ha-1)+ N50, P25, K25(kg.ha-1) should be applied to S. sahendica until the fourth year to produce adequate yields.
Agriculture and horticulture
M. Salimi Koochi; M. Madandoust
Abstract
Background and objectives: Cumin (Cuminum cymium L.) is an annual plant with delicate stems and a height between 15 and 50 cm. For high yield and increased product quality, consuming the appropriate amount of dinitroaniline herbicides and using mulches to control weeds is important. Therefore, the use ...
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Background and objectives: Cumin (Cuminum cymium L.) is an annual plant with delicate stems and a height between 15 and 50 cm. For high yield and increased product quality, consuming the appropriate amount of dinitroaniline herbicides and using mulches to control weeds is important. Therefore, the use of trifluralin, pendimethalin herbicides, and wheat mulch was investigated in this experiment to investigate the population and growth of weeds, physiological and vegetative characteristics, yield, and percentage of cumin essential oil.Materials and methods: This experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with three replications. In this study, the experimental treatments included 100% and 50% recommended amounts of trifluralin and pendimethalin herbicides alone and in combination with wheat stubble mulch, which was considered together with wheat stubble mulch alone and no weed control (control). Wheat stubble mulch, 5 cm long and equal to 5 tons per hectare, was applied. The herbicide was spread using a 20-liter book-back sprayer with a rain nozzle. Weed species were identified by Zarghan Agricultural Research Station, Fars Province weed experts. After that, quadrats with dimensions of 50 x 50 cm were used to determine weeds' density and dry weight. Three fully opened and fresh young leaves were selected to measure the relative water content of leaves and the chlorophyll content of each treatment. Sampling was done in the morning and before sunrise. Before the end of the growth period, the height and number of branches were measured. After harvesting, yield and yield components (including the number of umbels per plant, the number of seeds per umbel, and the weight of 1000 seeds) were determined. From the harvested seeds in each plot, 50 grams of samples were randomly taken and analyzed to determine the percentage of essential oil. To extract essential oil from the prepared samples, the steam distillation method was used by a Clevenger machine. The percentage of essential oil in each sample was determined. The mean comparison of the studied traits was compared using Duncan's multiple range test at 0.05.Results: The dominant weed species identified in the field included 6 genera and 6 species. The mean comparison results showed that using trifluralin herbicide with the recommended dose + mulch reduced weeds' density and dry weight by 88% and 87%, respectively, compared to no weed control (control). Mulch treatment alone reduced weed density and dry weight compared to control plants by 29.6% and 37.5%, respectively. 85% mulch + trifluralin herbicide at the recommended dose resulted in the highest relative leaf water content. Also, the highest chlorophyll b and total leaf chlorophyll content were obtained for both trifluralin and pendimethalin herbicides in combination with mulch, which showed a significant increase compared to mulch alone and no weed control. The lowest cumin plant height was observed in the weed-infested treatment (control). Among the management treatments, the number of lateral branches in the treatment of 100% of the recommended herbicide dose was more than in the treatment of 50%. Also, adding mulch to the treatments showed a significant increase in lateral branches. Cumin aerial parts dry weight increased by 4% with the 50% dose and 10% with the full dose. With trifluralin herbicides, cumin seed yield increased by 47% and pendimethalin by 45%. By applying mulch management treatments, cumin seed yield increased by 48%.Conclusion: The application of wheat mulch, by increasing leaf water and chlorophyll's relative content, improves growth indicators. In addition to the application of 100% of the recommended dose of trifluralin and pendimethalin herbicides in combination with wheat mulch, which increased the dry weight of shoot and seed yield in cumin, the treatment of 50% of the recommended dose in combination with wheat mulch at a lower level improved these traits. Therefore, due to reduced herbicide consumption, 50% of the recommended dose of trifluralin herbicides in combination with wheat mulch is recommended to control weeds in cumin.
Improvement and breeding
M. Salehi Vozhdehnazari; Z. Shirazi; S. Samavat
Abstract
Due to the similarity in appearance and properties of some medicinal plants, it is necessary to identify them more precisely by various methods. Accordingly, in the present study, Satureja rechingeri Jamzad and S. khuzistanica Jamzad were investigated and compared based on morphological, phytochemical, ...
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Due to the similarity in appearance and properties of some medicinal plants, it is necessary to identify them more precisely by various methods. Accordingly, in the present study, Satureja rechingeri Jamzad and S. khuzistanica Jamzad were investigated and compared based on morphological, phytochemical, and molecular characteristics. S. rechingeri and S. khuzistanica seeds were collected from Ilam and Lorestan provinces, respectively, and after scientific identification, they were planted in the research greenhouse of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands. The seedlings were then transferred to the experimental farm of the mentioned institute based on a t-test (n=3). Several important morphological traits including inflorescence length, inflorescence stem internode length, length and calyx diameter, calyx three-large and two-short teeth length, length and corolla diameter, stamen length, stigma length, length and vegetative organ leaf width, length and leaflet width, stem diameter, plant height, number of main and sub-branches, largest and smallest canopy diameter, and length and reproductive organ leaf width were measured at full flowering stage in the third year of planting. The essential oils (EOs) were extracted from the plants floral branches in the third year of planting through water distillation. The EOs yield was calculated and their compounds were identified using ultra-fast gas chromatography (GC-FID). DNA barcoding and ITS marker were used for molecular studies on these two savory species. The results showed that these two species did not differ significantly (P<0.01) for all the morphological traits examined. 13 common compounds were identified in these two species EO. S. rechingeri and S. khuzistanica EOs contained 88.6% and 89.5% carvacrol, respectively. The EO yeild was obtained 3.3% for S. rechingeri and 3.04% for S. khuzistanica. These two species showed 100% nucleotide similarity with each other and were closely related to S. bachtiarica (98%). On this basis, it is probable that these two species are not only independent species, but can also be different accessions of the same species.
Agriculture and horticulture
A. Rafati; N. Valizadeh; F. Sefidkon; Y. Imani; F. Noormand Moaied
Abstract
Nepeta crassifolia Boiss. & Buhse, from Lamiaceae family, is an aromatic species with medicinal properties which is endemic to Iran. The seeds and aerial parts of this plant were collected from six different regions of East Azerbaijan province. After drying, the plant aerial parts essential oil was ...
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Nepeta crassifolia Boiss. & Buhse, from Lamiaceae family, is an aromatic species with medicinal properties which is endemic to Iran. The seeds and aerial parts of this plant were collected from six different regions of East Azerbaijan province. After drying, the plant aerial parts essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and their compounds were identified by GC and GC/MS. The collected seeds, after producing greenhouse seedlings, were planted in the field in a randomized complete block design with three replications. In the second year after planting, the flowering shoots were harvested, dried, and distilled. The results showed that there was significant differences among essential oil percentage of natural habitat samples which the highest amount belonged to "Marand" region, but the farm essential oil samples did not differ with each other significantly. The compounds nepetalactone I (4aα, 7α, 7aα) and II (4aα, 7α, 7aβ), globulol, germacrene B, caryophyllene oxide, and 1,8-cineole were identified as the main essential oil compounds of this species. The highest amount of nepetalactone I or II under the natural habitat (69% and 21.7%, respectively) and field (27.3% and 51.5%, respectively) conditions belonged to "Misho" region in "Marand". "Sarab" region also had the highest amount of nepetalactone II under the natural habitat and farm conditions compared to the other samples. The highest amount of 1,8-cineole (21.8%) in the oil was also obtained from the natural habitat of "Kharil" region.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
s. Akbari; Sh. Aramideh
Abstract
Aphis gossypii Glover. is one of the most important pests of Cucurbitaceae family. Nowadays, control of the pest population using the environmentally compatible compounds has been increased. In this study, fumigant toxicity of different concentrations and time intervals of Achillea millefolium L. and ...
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Aphis gossypii Glover. is one of the most important pests of Cucurbitaceae family. Nowadays, control of the pest population using the environmentally compatible compounds has been increased. In this study, fumigant toxicity of different concentrations and time intervals of Achillea millefolium L. and Mentha pulegium L. essential oils (EO) was studied in a completely randomized design on adults of mentioned pest. Also, sublethal effects of EOs were evaluated on life table parameters of adult aphids. The results showed that these plants EOs caused significant mortality of adult insects. LC50 of A. millefolium and M. pulegium EOs on A. gossypii were 34.90 and 23.34 µl.l-1 of air, respectively. LT50 of EOs were obtained 12.30 h in 34.90 µl.l-1 of air concentration of A. millefolium EO and 12.02 h in 23.34 µl.l-1 of air concentration of M. pulegium EO. Intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) as the most important life table parameter of the pest was obtained 0.28 (female/female/day: the number of female individuals produced per female each day) in the M. pulegium EO treatment and 0.27 (female/female/day) in the A. millefolium EO one, which had a significant decrease compared to control (0.34). The study results of sublethal effects of these two essential oils on population growth parameters indicated that age-specific survival rate of the aphid was lower in the treatments compared to control. Life expectancy (ex) was the lowest in the M. pulegium treatment (10.97 days) and highest in control (20.73 days). Net reproductive rate was calculated 15.64, 9.38, and 35.76 (female/female/generation) for A. millefolium, M. pulegium, and control, respectively. Our results revealed that the plant EOs studied could be suggested to be used in the integrated A. gossypii management programs in greenhouses due to the high potential in fumigant toxicity and population decrease of this pest.
Agriculture and horticulture
A.A. Hatamnia
Abstract
Thymbra spicata L. (from Lamiaceae family) is distributed in large areas of Iran. In this study, the amount of total phenols and flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and percentage and essential oil composition in different ecotypes of this species from three different regions in Ilam province was evaluated. ...
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Thymbra spicata L. (from Lamiaceae family) is distributed in large areas of Iran. In this study, the amount of total phenols and flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and percentage and essential oil composition in different ecotypes of this species from three different regions in Ilam province was evaluated. The results showed that total phenols and flavonoids content was correlated with antioxidant activity positively and significantly, so that plant essential oil from Manesht Mountain with high phenols (8.6 mg gallic acid per g dry weight) and flavonoids (0.30 mg quercetin per g dry weight) content had the highest antioxidant activity, too. The main essential oil compound of the plant from regions with different ecological conditions was thymol (22.6-40.7%). Carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene were the other main essential oil compounds of T. spicata from different regions. The results showed that the plant sample from Kaveran region and Manesht Mountain had the highest (2.4%) and lowest (1.4%) essential oil content, respectively. Overall, based on the results of the present study, it could be suggested that the essential oil percentage and composition of T. spicata depended not only to the genetic factors, but also to the ecological factors such as altitude, average annual temperature, and annual rainfall.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
F. Babakhani; J. khorshidi; M.R. Morshedloo
Abstract
Postharvest conditions have a noticeable effect on the quantity and quality of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Accordingly, in the present study, the effects of different storage durations (0, 2, 4, and 6 months) and packaging types (kraft, polyethylene, polypropylene, and without packaging) ...
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Postharvest conditions have a noticeable effect on the quantity and quality of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Accordingly, in the present study, the effects of different storage durations (0, 2, 4, and 6 months) and packaging types (kraft, polyethylene, polypropylene, and without packaging) on the quantity and quality of essential oil and phenol and antioxidant activity of methanol extract in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) fruit were evaluated. Essential oils and methanol extracts were prepared using hydrodistillation (Clevenger, for 3 hours) and Soxhlet extraction methods, respectively. Essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. In general, increasing the storage duration reduced the essential oil content of fennel (with the exception of kraft packaging) and the rate of this reduction varied depending on the packaging type. The polyethylene-packed fruitsstored for 2 months and unpacked fruits stored for 6 months had the highest (3.25% v/w) and lowest (1.8% v/w) essential oil content, respectively. The number, type, and amount of essential oil compounds were affected by storage duration and packaging type. The highest (75.8%) and lowest (49.46%) amounts of E-anethole were obtained from the essential oil of unpacked fruits stored for 6 months and unstored fruits, respectively. The amount of phenol and antioxidant activity decreased with increasing storage duration, but the effect of packaging type varied at different storage durations. Overall, based on the essential oil content, phenol, and antioxidant activity, storage of fennel could not be recommended, but based on the type of target compound in the essential oil, different storage durations could be suggested. If the storage of fennel is necessary, the polyethylene and kraft packaging could be recommended based on the total characteristics measured in this research.
Improvement and breeding
M. Sarafraz; H. Dehghanzadeh; A.F. Hashemi
Abstract
To investigate the effects of biological and chemical phosphorus fertilizers, and gibberellic acid (GA3) on yield and its components, and essential oil of Salvia officinalis L., a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in Ghara Chay region, Markazi ...
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To investigate the effects of biological and chemical phosphorus fertilizers, and gibberellic acid (GA3) on yield and its components, and essential oil of Salvia officinalis L., a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in Ghara Chay region, Markazi province, Iran. Experimental treatments included triple super phosphate at three levels (100, 70, and 30 % of the recommended amount), phosphorus bio-fertilizer of Barvar-2 at two levels (application and no application), and GA3 at three levels (0, 100, and 200 ppm). The results showed that Barvar-2, GA3, and triple super phosphate affected yield and its components, and essential oil significantly. The Barvar-2 application increased the yield and essential oil percentage by 7.7 and 18.2% compared to the control, respectively. It also resulted in a slight increase of the major essential oil compounds. Also, the GA3 200 ppm application increased the percentage and essential oil yield by 23.5 and 40.5% compared to the control, respectively. The highest biological yield and essential oil yield were obtained 3751 and 15.52 kg.ha-1, respectivley with the simultaneous application of 100% of the recommended triple super phosphate, Barvar-2, and GA3 200 ppm. The highest α-thujone percentage (27.91%) as the most important essential oil compound was obtained with the simultaneous application of 100% of the recommended triple super phosphate, Barvar-2, and GA3 100 ppm. The combined application of GA3 and Barvar-2 reduced the use of phosphorus chemical fertilizer to achieve better vegetative characteristics, and high yield and essential oil percentage, so that in many traits the simultaneous application of 70% of the recommended triple super phosphate, Barvar-2, and GA3 did not differ significantly from the 100% of the recommended triple super phosphate application. Therefore, with the combined use of GA3 200 ppm and Barvar-2, the amount of phosphorus fertilizer consumption could be reduced by 30% without causing a significant reduction in yield and essential oil of S. officinalis.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
M. Jafari Ghoshchi; B. Abbaszadeh; M. Ourei; R. Azimi; A. Faramarzi
Abstract
In this study, to investigate the effects of gamma ray to dry plant materials, conditions, and storage duration of the plants on the percentage and essential oil composition and some physiological traits of Satureja spicigera (C. Koch) Boiss., plant top shoots were collected at the flowering stage. Gamma ...
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In this study, to investigate the effects of gamma ray to dry plant materials, conditions, and storage duration of the plants on the percentage and essential oil composition and some physiological traits of Satureja spicigera (C. Koch) Boiss., plant top shoots were collected at the flowering stage. Gamma ray irradiation was performed in the Atomic Energy Organization at five levels of 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 kGy (kilo gray). Storage was carried out under two refrigerator (4°C) and room air temperature conditions at three storage duration levels of 0, 120, and 240 hours. The experiment was conducted as a factorial in a completely randomized design with three replications. Essential oil of flowering shoots was extracted by water distillation method and analyzed by GC and GC/MS quantitatively and qualitatively. According to the obtained results, gamma radiation affected the essential oil percentage and amount of p-cymene, thymol, carvacrol, phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity significantly at the level of 1%. Storage duration had a significant effect on the essential oil percentage and amount of p-cymene, thymol, and carvacrol. Storage conditions showed a significant effect on the total phenols and flavonoids content and antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of S. spicigera. Means comparison of gamma radiation effects showed that the highest percentage of essential oil with 1.12% and 1.03% was obtained in the control and 5 kGy treatments, respectively. The highest amount of thymol (13.57%) and carvacrol (34.73%) was observed in the 10 kGy and control treatments, respectively. With 2.5 kGy gamma irradiation, the amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity respectively increased by 1.4 and 1.76 times compared to the control. Of course, by keeping the plant in the refrigerator, the amount of thymol was reduced. The highest percentage of essential oil was related to the storage for 120 hours. The use of high intensity gamma radiation is suitable to achieve high thymol essential oil. The use of low radiation can also be useful for drying S. spicigera to obtain extracts containing more phenolic compounds. However, gamma radiation is not appropriate for plant materials drying to obtain essential oils of this species.
Agriculture and horticulture
M. Yadegari
Abstract
Due to the valuable role of thyme in the pharmaceutical and food industries of Iran, an experiment was conducted to study the effects of NPK complete fertilizers, butamisol, and humic acid on the morphophysiological characteristics and essential oil of three species of Thymus kotschyanus Boiss, T. vulgaris ...
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Due to the valuable role of thyme in the pharmaceutical and food industries of Iran, an experiment was conducted to study the effects of NPK complete fertilizers, butamisol, and humic acid on the morphophysiological characteristics and essential oil of three species of Thymus kotschyanus Boiss, T. vulgaris L., and T. daenensis Celark under drought stress conditions. This research was performed in three separate factorial experiments as a randomized complete block design with four replications in Islamic Azad University, Branch of Shahrekord in the 2021-2022 crop year. Foliar application was done twice with an interval of three weeks after the 10-leaf stage of the plant. Twenty-four experimental treatments included the non-use (A1) and use (A2) of NPK, non-use (B1) and use (B2) of humic acid, non-use (C1) and use (C2) of botamisol under drought stress conditions at three levels of field capacity (D1), 50% (D2), and 75% (D3) loss of gravitational water. The highest amounts of plant height (44.5±1.1 cm), number of main branches (26.4±1.5), plant dry weight (40.5±0.99 g.m-2), total chlorophyll (1.55±0.1 mg.g-1 fresh weight (FW)), and essential oil content (1.88±0.03%) were obtained in the A2B2C2D1 treatment in T. kotschyanus. The A2B2C2D3 treatment resulted in the highest proline content (13.9±0.2 µg.g-1 FW) and lowest essential oil content (0.79±0.1 %) in T. daenensis. Thymol and carvacrol in T. kotschyanus, thymol, ɣ-terpinene, p-cymene, and linalool in T. vulgaris, and thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, β-caryophylene, α-pinene, and myrcene in T. daenensis were identified as the major essential oil compounds. More nutrient utilization and stress in the least possible along with the temperate climate of the study area led to the introduction of T. kotschyanus as an indicator species in this field.
Agriculture and horticulture
B. Yoosefi; F. Sefidkon; M. Mirza; M.H. Lebaschy
Abstract
Satureja mutica Fisch. & C. A. Mey. is one of the native savory species of Iran that has received much attention due to its high essential oil content and phenolic compound of thymol. Determination the most suitable and best planting density as well as soil fertility is very important in increasing ...
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Satureja mutica Fisch. & C. A. Mey. is one of the native savory species of Iran that has received much attention due to its high essential oil content and phenolic compound of thymol. Determination the most suitable and best planting density as well as soil fertility is very important in increasing the quantitative and qualitative yield of medicinal plants. In this study, to investigate the effects of plant density and feeding with organic fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative yield of essential oils in Satureja mutica Fisch. & C. A. Mey. under rainfed conditions, an experiment was conducted as split plots in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications in the Research and Education Center of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Kermanshah province in 3 crop years (2018-2020). The main factor included 3 fertilizer treatments and the sub-factor was 3 densities (2.66, 4, and 8 plants per square meter) in rows with a distance of 50 cm and with 3 planting distances (25, 50, and 75 cm). Plant aerial parts were harvested at full flowering stage and their essential oil (EO) was extracted by hydrodistillation method. EO yield was calculated according to the plant dry weight and its chemical compounds were identified using GC and GC/MS. The results showed that percentage and EO chemical composition did not show any difference between the years. There was a significant difference between the fertilizer treatments for the percentage and EO yield and thymol, carvacrol, and other EO chemical compounds at the level of 1%. There was a significant difference between the planting densities only for EO yield. Thymol had a positive relationship with the treatments of enriched straw and then rotten cow manure and the highest amount (53.2%) was observed in the enriched straw treatment. Carvacrol with the highest amount of 9.2%, showed a positive relationship with the rotten cow manure treatment.
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. ...
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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.
Improvement and breeding
S. Madadkhani; A. Kheiry; M. Arghavani; M. Sanikhani; Z. Mohkami
Abstract
The use of elicitors to produce the environmentally friendly biological products and in conjunction with the modern agriculture can increase the qualitative and quantitative growth of plants and reduce the effects of environmental stresses on them. To investigate the effects of biostimulants under the ...
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The use of elicitors to produce the environmentally friendly biological products and in conjunction with the modern agriculture can increase the qualitative and quantitative growth of plants and reduce the effects of environmental stresses on them. To investigate the effects of biostimulants under the low irrigation stress on the morphological and phytochemical characteristics of Dracocephalum moldavica L., a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design in the Zanjan University research farm in three replications in 2019. The main factor was the irrigation (100 and 70% of field capacity) and the sub-factor was the foliar application of elicitors including saffron extract (0.01 and 0.05%), ginseng extract (0.5 and 1%), amino acid L-cysteine (50 and 100 μM), and control treatment (no foliar application) at the four-, eight-, and twelve-leaf stages. The morphological and phytochemical traits were evaluated at the 90% flowering stage of the plants. In the present experiment, the highest amount of total chlorophyll (35.68 mg / g FW), carotenoids (9.18 mg / g FW), and relative leaf water content (83.20%) was obtained under the full irrigation conditions stimulated by the 50 μM L-cysteine treatment. While under the water stress conditions, the highest content of total phenols (33.17 mg GA / g DW), total flavonoids (1.53 mg QE / g DW), and antioxidant capacity (95.37%) was obtained in the no foliar application of elicitors treatment. The highest essential oil percentage (0.38%) was observed in the 100 μM L-cysteine treatment under the full irrigation conditions. Although the morphological parameters of D. moldavica had their highest values under the full irrigation conditions, the low irrigation stress led to the synthesis of higher amounts of phenolics and flavonoids and the stronger antioxidant capacity.
Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
A.R. Yavari
Abstract
Teucrium stocksianum Boiss. belongs to the fam. lamiaceae. In this study, the different plant organs (leaves, flowers, and stalks) of this species were collected from NikShahr region of Sistan & Balouchestan province and examined for the content and essential oil composition variability. The samples ...
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Teucrium stocksianum Boiss. belongs to the fam. lamiaceae. In this study, the different plant organs (leaves, flowers, and stalks) of this species were collected from NikShahr region of Sistan & Balouchestan province and examined for the content and essential oil composition variability. The samples essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The average essential oil content of flowers, leaves, and stalks was obtained 0.68, 0.42, and 0.13% (w/w), respectively. Also, 33, 35, and 32 compounds were identified in the flowers, leaves, and stalks essential oil, respectively. The α-pinene (8.6-23%), β-pinene (4.9-10%), δ-cadinene (4.3-24.6%), caryophyllene oxide (1.4-8.6%), and viridiflorol + guaiol (6.1-7.6%) were the major essential oil compounds. The flowers and leaves essential oil was rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons (35.6 and 50.3%, respectively), whereas the stalks essential oil was characterized with the high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (42.3%). The findings of this study showed that the T. stocksianum flowers had the potential to produce more essential oil than the leaves and stems.
