Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research

In collaboration with Scientific Association of Iranian Medicinal Plants

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Publication Ethics

Indexing and Abstracting

Related Links

FAQ

Peer Review Process

Journal Metrics

News

Morphophysiological characteristics, quantity and quality of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) essential oil under the influence of silicic acid in soilless cultivation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. graduated, Department of Horticultural Science, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran

2 Department of Horticultural Science, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran

3 Department of Horticultural Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

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 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.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References
- Ainsworth, E.A. and Gillespie, K.M., 2007. Estimation of total phenolic content and other oxidation substrates in plant tissues using folin-ciocalteu reagent. Nature Protocols, 2(4): 875-877.
- Al-aghabary, K., Zhu, Z. and Shi, Q., 2005. Influence of silicon supply on chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzyme activities in tomato plants under salt stress. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 27(12): 2101-2115.
- Chen, D., Wang, S., Yin, L. and Deng, X., 2018. How does silicon mediate plant water uptake and loss under water deficiency? Frontiers in Plant Science, 9(281): 1-7.
- Deshmukh, R.K., Ma, J.F. and Bélanger, R.R., 2017. Role of silicon in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8(1858): 1-3.
- Elliott, C.L. and Snyder, G.H., 1991. Autoclave-induced digestion for the colorimetric determination of silicon in rice straw. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 39(6): 1118-1119.
- Eneji, A.E., Inanaga, S., Muranaka, S., Li, J., Hattori, T., An, P. and Tsuji, W., 2008. Growth and nutrient use in four grasses under drought stress as mediated by silicon fertilizers. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 31(2): 355-365.
- Etesami, H. and Jeong, B.R., 2018. Silicon (Si): Review and future prospects on the action mechanisms in alleviating biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 147: 881-896.
- Gengmao, Z., Shihui, L., Xing, S., Yizhou, W. and Zipan, C., 2015. The role of silicon in physiology of the medicinal plant (Lonicera japonica L.) under salt stress. Scientific Reports, 5(12696): 1-11.
- Hoagland, D.R. and Arnon, D.I., 1950. The water-culture method for growing plants without soil. Circular. California Agricultural Experiment Station (Vol. 347), 32p.
- Kamenidou, S., Cavins, T.J. and Marek, S., 2008. Silicon supplements affect horticultural traits of greenhouse-produced ornamental sunflowers. HortScience, 43(1): 236-239.
- Kamenidou, S., Cavins, T.J. and Marek, S., 2010. Silicon supplements affect floricultural quality traits and elemental nutrient concentrations of greenhouse produced gerbera. Scientia Horticulturae, 123(3): 390-394.
- Khan, A., Khan, A.L., Muneer, S., Kim, Y.H., Al-Rawahi, A. and Al-Harrasi, A., 2019. Silicon and salinity: cross-talk in crop mediated stress tolerance mechanisms. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10(1429): 1-21.
- Kim, Y.H., Khan, A.L., Waqas, M. and Lee, I.J., 2017. Silicon regulates antioxidant activities of crop plants under abiotic-induced oxidative stress: a review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8(510): 1-7.
- Kolesnikov, M.P. and Gins, V.K., 2001. Forms of silicon in medicinal plants. Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology, 37(5): 524-527.
- Manivannan, A. and Ahn, Y.K., 2017. Silicon regulates potential genes involved in major physiological processes in plants to combat stress. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8(1346): 1-13.
- Markovich, O., Steiner, E., Kouřil, Š., Tarkowski, P., Aharoni, A. and Elbaum, R., 2017. Silicon promotes cytokinin biosynthesis and delays senescence in Arabidopsis and Sorghum. Plant, Cell & Environment, 40(7): 1189-1196.
- Marschner, H., 2011. Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press, 672p.
- Ozturk, A.H.M.E.T., Unlukara, A., Ipek, A.R.İ.F. and Gurbuz, B.İ.L.A.L., 2004. Effects of salt stress and water deficit on plant growth and essential oil content of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.). Pakistan Journal of Botany, 36(4): 787-792.
- Pardossi, A., Tognoni, F. and Incrocci, L., 2004. Mediterranean greenhouse technology. Chronica horticulturae, 44(2): 28-34.
- Parveen, A., Liu, W., Hussain, S., Asghar, J., Perveen, S. and Xiong, Y., 2019. Silicon priming regulates morpho-physiological growth and oxidative metabolism in maize under drought stress. Plants, 8(10): 431.
- Sunkar, R., 2010. Plant Stress Tolerance: Methods in Molecular Biology, 639. Humana Press, 401p.
- Surendran, U., Chandran, C. and Joseph, E.J., 2017. Hydroponic cultivation of Mentha spicata and comparison of biochemical and antioxidant activities with soil-grown plants. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 39(1): 26.
- Voogt, W. and Sonneveld, C., 2001. Silicon in horticultural crops grown in soilless culture. In Studies in Plant Science, 8: 115-131.
- WHO (World Health Organization), 1998. Quality control methods for medicinal plant.
Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research
Volume 36, Issue 5 - Serial Number 103
November and December 2020
Pages 734-747
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics