RESEARCH ON THE INTRODUCTION AND TRANSPLANTING OF AROMATIC PLANTS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION TO HESHUO XINJIANG AND SHANGHAI CHINA
This research was designed to solve problems related to introducing and transplanting aromatic plants from the Mediterranean region to Heshuo and Shanghai in China. The investigated species included lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sage (Salvia officinalis), clary sage (Salvia sclarea), German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), Roman chamomile Chamaemelum nobile L., hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), marjoram (Origanum majorana). After investigating and analyzing the climate condition of the native regions for these plants, we tried to plant the same varieties on the Shanghai and Heshuo, of Xinjiang. Shanghais latitude (31°10) is lower than Heshuos (43°) and Heshuos latitude approached that of Provence (44°) France. The growing performances of these plants in the different places were recorded and the content of essential oil was determined. Our results showed that lavender, hyssop and Roman chamomile grow very well in Heshuo, but not in Shanghai. The growth of German chamomile thyme, sage, oregano, and marjorams is better in Heshuo than in Shanghai. The content of essential oil of sweet basil in Xinjiang is higher than in Shanghai, although the height of plants in Xinjiang was shorter than in Shanghai. The following climate factors are very important for the aromatic plants to be introduced and transplanted successfully from Mediterranean region: same latitude and hours of sunshine of growing period, ≥ 0 oC accumulative temperature, ≥ 10 oC accumulative temperature and days, ≥ 5 oC precipitation and humidity, ≥ 10 oC amount of solar radiation. INTRODUCTION Many herbaceous aromatic plants grow along shore of the Mediterranean, France, England, Morocco have become well known for the production of aromatic species. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), thyme(Thymus vulgaris), sage (Salvia officinalis), clary sage (Salvia sclarea), hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), and marjoram (Origanum majorana) originate from the Mediterranean shore of Europe and from the India. Now, these plants which are widely used in perfumes and cosmetics; which effected the historic culture of Europe and the world. In China, no other species have been successfully introduced to a large area of cultivation. The research of introduced cultivation should consider many factors, such as soil, water, and human factors. This paper focus on climate factors, the other factors will be studied in the future. Introducing these aromatic plants successfully is an important research subject in China. Cultivation of these plants in China has been rare and only minimal research in this field has been completed in recent years. MATERIALS AND METHODS At first, we analyzed the climate factor differences between the original region and the introduced region. Then we introduced the plants to Shanghai and Xingjiang respectively, according to climate. The growth and the rate of the essential oil were monitored. Main Quantity of Heat Index in Every Area The weather indexes of Provence was a criterion for transplanting. Lavender was transplanted in the late of 1970s in Sapporo, and was used as a reference index. There are Proc. XXVI IHC Future for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Eds. L.E. Craker et al. Acta Hort. 629, ISHS 2004 Publication supported by Can. Int. Dev. Agency (CIDA) 262 34 weather indexes in the table 1, they refer to 0 °C, 5 °C, 10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C. The critical growing temperature was 0 °C, 5 °C was the starting temperature of bourgeoning, 10 °C is growing temperature, 15 °C is flower bud differentiation temperature, 20 °C is the optimum flower temperature. All the weather indexes are located in Table 1. The transplanted herbs were seeded or bourgeoned in early April, and harvested before October. The time of growth and bearing of every herb was different. Growth of lavender, sage, thyme, hyssop, oregano, marjoram, sweet basil and clary sage was 180 days, German chamomile was 120 days, and Roman chamomile was 150 days. In other words, the length of growth and bearing period were not over 180 days. In the 34-weather index, a comparison of Provence and referencing Sapporo, the weather in Heshuo was nearly the same in the two areas. Accumulated temperature, base temperature ≥ 10 °C, accumulated temperature, base temperature ≥ 15 °C, annual sunshine hours and annual global solar radiation(kcal/cm) slightly exceed that of Provence. These indexes, however do not check plant growth in nature. In the weather index of Shanghai, the average number of days per annum with t ≥ 0 °C, accumulated temperature and base temperature ≥ 0 °C, accumulated temperature and base temperature ≥ 5 °C, accumulated temperature and base temperature ≥ 10 oC, accumulated temperature and base temperature ≥ 15 °C, accumulated temperature and base temperature ≥ 20 °C exceed that of Provence, but annual sunshine hours, total sunshine hours of the period with t ≥ 0 °C. Total sunshine hours of the period with t ≥ 5 °C, total sunshine hours of the period with t ≥ 10 °C , total sunshine hours of the period with t ≥ 15 °C, total sunshine hours of the period with t ≥ 20 °C are slightly less than that of Provence which show that the temperature of Shanghai is better than in Provence, but the condition of sunlight in Shanghai is worse than in Provences. The Precipitation Indexes in Different Areas (Table 2) We can see that the all the indexes related precipitation in Heshuo are lower than in Provence, and which may form the unfavorable factor for the plant growing. But the irrigated farming area in Heshuo have an abundant subterraneous resource and is close to the largest inner freshwater lake which can fully satisfy the transpiration of plants. Conversely, the formation growth of oil grand of fragrant plants need a dry climate condition, so that the low precipitation cannot constitute a limiting factor of plants growing in the area. From the precipitation data in the area of Shanghai, all the indexes are much higher than in Provence, which may constitute the limiting factor of plants growing in the area. The annual lowest temperature and the highest temperature are the most predominant limiting factors. The temperature in Sapporo was the lowest, Shanghai was the highest and Heshuo was closest to Provence, especially from the middle of March to the middle of September (Figure 2). From October to the next March, the temperature in Heshuo changes between 5 °C to -10 °C. The lowest temperature in Heshuo is in January. The temperature in Provence changes between 10 °C to 2 °C. We can conclude from the results of these artificial methods that plants may be able to live through winter normally. Furthermore, in the area of Sapporo, plants have proved to live through winter successfully, so it seems to be possible that Lavender could live through winter in Heshuo and Shanghai. Heshuos temperature is 5 to 7 °C higher than in Provences from May to September (Figure 3). The average temperature in Shanghai is the highest and the average temperature in Sapporo is the lowest (Figure 4). From middle May to middle September, the temperature in Heshuo is very close to the temperature in Provence. This similarity in temperature suggests that Heshuo has the basic condition of plant growing, and the high temperature of growing period in Shanghai, especially the continued high temperature in blooming, may become the limiting factor. The level of sunlight is an important factor for fragrant plants and may affect the
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