Allelopathy between aromatic plant species during early developmental stages

The research carried out had as its objective the introduction of some valuable medicinal and aromatic plant species into cultivation on sandy soils and aimed at enriching the collection of medicinal and aromatic plants existing at the Research Development Station Plant Culture Sands Dăbuleni .The behavior of the Cassia angustifolia Vahl. (senna) species on sandy soils was monitored in 2024 within the framework of Project 1.2.2,, Diversification of the assortment of medicinal, aromatic and Jerusalem artichoke plant species cultivated on sandy soils,, funded by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.Under irrigation conditions, at Research Development Station Plant Culture Sands Dăbuleni, the senna crop recorded an average production of green herb of 12640 kg/ha and of dry herb of 2429 kg/ha.

Arabian flora is a rich source of bioactive compounds. In this study, we investigated three aromatic plant species with the aim of finding valuable sources of antimicrobial agents against common pathogenic microorganisms. We focused especially on microorganisms, which cause outbreaks of infectious disease during mass gatherings and pilgrimages season in Saudi Arabia. The essential oils of three aromatic plant species were hydrodistilled from flowering aerial parts of Lavandula pubescens Decne. and Pulicaria incisa subsp. candolleana E.Gamal-Eldin, and from leaves, stems, ripe and unripe fruits of Juniperus procera Hochst. Ex Endl. They were subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main constituents of L. pubescens were found to be carvacrol (55.7%), methyl carvacrol (13.4%), and β-bisabolene (9.1%). P. incisa subsp. Candolleana essential oil was rich in linalool (33.0%), chrysanthenone (10.3%), eugenol (8.9%), and cis-chrysanthenol (8.0%); the major components of J. procera essential oil were α-pinene (31.3–62.5%) and δ-3-carene (7.3–30.3%). These essential oils were tested against thirteen American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the agar diffusion assay. The only effective essential oil was that of L. pubescens and the most sensitive strains were Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella sonnei, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Carvacrol, the major constituent of L. pubescens, was tested on these strains and was compared with vancomycin, amikacin, and ciprofloxacin. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) assays of L. pubescens essential oil and carvacrol revealed that Gram-negative strains were more susceptible than the Gram-positive ones.

Ülkemiz biyolojik çeşitlilik açısından zengin ülkeler arasındadır.Tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler söz konusu biyolojik çeşitliliğinin bitkiçeşitliliği kısmında oldukça önemli bir paya sahiptir. Dünya pazarında tıbbi vearomatik bitkilere olan talebin geçen gün arttığı açıkça bilinmektedir. Ülkemizfarklı ekolojik ve iklim koşulları ile farklı yeryüzü şekillerine sahip olmasınedeniyle zengin bitki tür çeşitliliğini içermektedir. Bu tür çeşitliliğiiçerisinde tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler büyük bir ekonomik potansiyele sahiptir.Bu çalışma bitki çeşitliliği bakımından oldukça zengin bir yöre olanIsparta-Yenişarbademli ilçesi ormanlık alanlarında gerçekleştirilmiştir.Çalışma alanında 70 örnek alanda tıbbi ve aromatik öneme sahip 10 bitki türütespit edilmiştir. Çalışmanın amacı tespitedilen tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin yayılış alanlarında bulunan diğer bitkitürlerinin zenginliğini ortaya koyabilmektir. Böylece tespit edilen her tıbbive aromatik bitkinin yaşam alanını paylaştığı türlerle ilişkisinin belirlenmesihedeflenmiştir. Bu doğrultuda yapılan çalışmalarda ilk olarak tür zenginliğinibelirlemek amacıyla biyolojik çeşitlilik bileşenlerinden gama çeşitliliğihesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca örnek alanlarda tespit edilen tıbbi ve aromatik özelliğesahip bitki türlerinin yetişme ortamı özelliklerine göre yayılış alanları ileilgili bilgiler irdelenmiştir. Çalışmanın sonucunda ise en yüksek türzenginliğine sahip tıbbi ve aromatik bitki türünün Rosa canina’nın dağılımgösterdiği yetişme ortamlarında olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Combined impacts of climate and socio-economic scenarios on irrigation water availability for a dry Mediterranean reservoir.

Ancient wheats may be a source of traits that are useful for the tolerance of climate change foreseen conditions of raising temperatures and low water availability. Previous research has shown a fine root system and a high mass of rhizosheath per unit root mass in the italian durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) landrace Saragolle Lucana, and this may be relevant for successfully facing adverse conditions during seedling establishment. We investigated the effect of soil water shortage in Saragolle seedlings on root architecture, rhizosheath formation and biomass allocation. Pot experiments were conducted by comparing two levels of soil available water content (AWC): WW (100% of AWC) and DS (50% of AWC). Phenology was delayed by eight days in DS and above and belowground traits were measured at Zadoks 1.3 for each treatment. Biometric data collected at the same phenological stage show that DS plants did not reach the levels of biomass, surface area and space occupation of WW even after attaining the same developmental stage. Namely, plant dimensions were lower at low soil water availability, with the exception of rhizosheath production: DS yielded a 50% increase in rhizosheath mass and 32% increase in rhizosheath mass per unit root mass. The proportion of plant mass reduction in DS was 29.7% for aboveground parts and 34.7% for roots, while reductions in leaf and root surface areas exceeded 43%. The root/shoot mass and area ratios were not significantly different between treatments, and a higher impact on aboveground than on belowground traits at reduced available water was shown only by a lower ratio of shoot height to root depth in DS than in WW. Increases in rhizosheath in absolute and relative terms, which were observed in our experiment in spite of smaller root systems in the ancient durum wheat variety Saragolle lucana at DS, may provide an interesting trait for plant performance in conditions of low soil water availability both for water-related issue and for other effects on plant nutrition and relations with the rhizosphere.

The present study was carried out to document the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in Chopal forest division of Himachal Pradesh. The information was collected from local communities including traditional healers of villages from all seven forest ranges of Chopal forest division through semi-structured interview during July, 2015 to September, 2017. A total of 120 ethnobotanical plant species of 107 genera belonging to sixty one families were recorded from the study area. Out of these, 115 species were angiosperms, three gymnosperms, one pteridophyte and one fungus species. Rosaceae was recorded as the most dominant family with nine plant species followed by Lamiaceae, Leguminosae Amaranthaceae and Compositae. Among the different growth forms, herbs shared maximum growth form followed by shrubs, trees, climbers and pteridophyte. The recorded medicinal and aromatic plant species were used for treating various common ailments. Hedychium spicatum was reported as most used species followed by Artemisia vulgaris, Angelica glauca, Lactuca macrorhiza, Delphinium vestitum, Viola pilosa, Berberis lycium, etc. Present findings indicate that the people of Chopal forest division possess appreciable knowledge about the traditional use of medicinal and aromatic plant species. However, diminishing trend in knowledge about the medicinal plants was recorded. Only sixty percent people had knowledge about medicinal and aromatic plant species use. Hence, documentation of the traditional knowledge has tremendous importance which will help its preservation and also provide opportunity for using these plants in future improvement programme.

Purpose. To investigate the allelopathic compatibility of common bean seeds and companion crops, to establish interaction patterns using water extracts from seeds and other plant parts of common bean and companion crops. Methods. Laboratory, statistical. Results. Biotest: interaction of germinating seeds of bean and companion crops in Petri dishes. Biologically active substances from winter and spring triticale seeds (the bean seeds/seeds of companion crops ratio was 1:10) negatively affected bean seedlings, which was seen from all parameters under investigation: hypocotyl length (with the root included), length of the longest adventitious root, the adventitious root number, and true leaf length (with epicotyl included). At a ratio of 1:5, winter triticale-induced inhibition of hypocotyl growth was enhanced up to 38 %, while, on the contrary, spring triticale had a neutral effect on this parameter. A stimulating effect (106 %) of spring triticale seeds on the true bean leaf length (with epicotyl) was noted. For winter and spring triticale in a ratio of 1:1 (compared to the control – without seeds of companion crops), inhibition of the growth of the hypocotyl with the root by 21 % and the true leaf with the epicotyl by 10–9 %, respectively, is observed. Biotest: germination of bean seeds in a water extract from whole seeds of bean and companion crops in Petri dishes. Water extract from spring triticale seeds in a ratio of 1:2 had the greatest stimulating effect on the tap root and the first leaf lengths; winter triticale extract in a ratio of 1:4 had the greatest effect on the adventitious root an epicotyl lengths; bean extract in a ratio of 1:2 had the greatest effect on the epicotyl length. Biotest: germination of bean seeds in a water extract from vegetative mass, roots and post-harvest residues of bean and companion crops in Petri dishes. Water extracts from roots of bean, winter and spring triticale weakly inhibited the main bean root elongation. A neutral allelopathic effect on the bean seed germination was exerted by extract from post-harvest residues of spring triticale. A water extract from top parts of bean had a negative allelopathic effect on germinating bean seeds, indicating self-incompatibility of this crop. Conclusions. The laboratory tests showed that biologically active substances from seeds of both winter triticale and spring triticale at a ratio of 1:10 were toxic for bean ssedlings. Combined germination of bean and spring triticale seeds at a ratio of 1:5 had a more positive effect compared to other ratios of seeds of companion crops, and combined germination of bean seeds with spring and winter triticale seeds at a ratio of 1:1 demonstrated very similar parameters of germinating bean seeds. It was found that water extracts from bean and spring triticale in a ratio of 1:2 and from bean and winter triticale (1:4) had a clear allelopathic effect on the bean parameters. Water extracts from winter triticale (1:1) and spring triticale (1:4) were more toxic to bean seedlings. Water extracts from roots of bean, winter and spring triticale weakly inhibited the main bean root elongation. A water extract from the aboveground parts of bean had a negative allelopathic effect on the germinating seeds of bean, indicating self-incompatibility of this crop. A neutral allelopathic effect on the germination of bean seeds was exerted by extract from post-harvest residues of spring triticale. Combined germination of seeds of bean and companion crops in the laboratory allows for assessments of peculiarities of seed germination and mutual influence of components as early as at the initial stage, for selection of crops for growing in heterogeneous fields aimed at forming a highly productive agrophytocenosis.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar a atividade potencialmente alelopática de óleos essenciais de pimenta longa (Piper hispidinervium C. DC.) e oriza (Pogostemon heyneanus Benth) e analisar, comparativamente, seus efeitos alelopáticos. Óleos essenciais obtidos foram preparados em concentrações de 0,25, 0,5 e 1,0%, tendo como eluente o éter metílico, e testados sobre a germinação de sementes, desenvolvimento da radícula e do hipocótilo das plantas daninhas de área de pastagens cultivadas, malícia (Mimosa pudica) e mata-pasto (Senna obtusifolia). Os óleos das duas espécies evidenciaram atividade alelopática em intensidades que variaram em função da concentração do óleo, da espécie doadora, da planta receptora e do fator da planta analisado. A germinação das sementes foi o fator mais intensamente inibido pelos óleos. As intensidades das inibições estiveram positivamente associadas à concentração, com inibições máximas verificadas a 1,0%. Malícia foi à espécie receptora mais sensível aos efeitos do óleo. Comparativamente, o óleo essencial da pimenta longa revelou maior potencial para inibir a germinação e o desenvolvimento das duas plantas receptoras, notadamente em relação à germinação de sementes, quando as diferenças foram mais marcantes. Os resultados foram atribuídos à composição química dos óleos, especialmente em relação à presença de monoterpenos, monoterpenos oxigenados e sesquiterpenos.

Lippia alba (Miller) N.E. Brown is an aromatic plant species of great economic importance due to the medicinal properties of its essential oils, which provide stress relief, respiratory and gastrointestinal disease control, and anti-inflammatory and natural sedative effects. The plant is also effective in biological control against various pathogens and in food preservation. Water deficit is the most critical abiotic factor limiting plant growth and morpho-physiological development, as well as production of secondary metabolism compounds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of water deficit on growth, photosynthesis, essential oil profile, and the expression of genes related to the biosynthesis of these compounds in L. alba grown in vitro. Nodal segments were cultured on medium supplemented with 0, 1, 2, and 3% (w/v) polyethylene glycol for 45 days. Water stress had a negative effect on primary metabolism indicators, such as growth, leaf area, and photosynthetic rate; but a positive effect on amino acid and total protein content. Similarly, secondary metabolism exhibited an increase in linalool but a reduction in germacrene levels under water deficit. These findings provide a deeper understanding of how water deficit affects primary and secondary metabolism in L. alba, showing the potential of this medicinal species to adapt to soils with low water availability, while still being able to grow and synthesize essential oils. Water deficit significantly alters the percentage of the essential oil components linalool and germacrene in Lippia alba plants grown in vitro.

Plant-parasitic nematodes are highly damaging pests responsible for heavy losses in a considerable number of plant crops. Common pest management strategies rely on the use of synthetic chemical nematicides, which have led to serious concerns regarding their impact on human health and the environment. The essential oils (EOs) obtained from aromatic plant species can provide a good source of agents for the sustainable control of nematodes, due to higher biodegradability, generally low toxicity for mammals, fish, and birds, and lower bioaccumulation in the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the nematicidal and nematostatic properties of EOs extracted from plant species relevant to Macaronesia flora or with widespread use as culinary herbs in Mediterranean cuisine. Eighteen EOs were chemically characterized and evaluated by direct contact and hatching bioassays on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica. The EOs that showed a significant effect on M. javanica second-stage juveniles' (J2) mortality (≥40%) were also used in chemotaxis assays. From the eighteen EOs, seven showed strong nematicidal activity (>80%) and hatching inhibition. The chemotaxis assays revealed that only Mentha pulegium exhibited repellent behavior for M. javanica J2, and the rest of EOs had attractive behavior. Furthermore, EOs were assessed against the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans and the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Cinnamomum burmanni was the EO with the highest nematicidal activity for the three nematode species. Among the terpene-rich EOs, high mortality values and hatching inhibition for M. javanica were observed for the carvacrol chemotype Origanum vulgare, albeit with low activity for P. penetrans and B. xylophilus. Mentha pulegium, mainly composed of monoterpene ketones and monoterpenoids, demonstrated moderate-to-high mortality activity (from 30% for P. penetrans to 99% for M. javanica) for the three nematode species.

Epiphytes are highly dependent on atmospheric inputs of water and nutrients. Reductions in water availability associated with warming and climate change and continual atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition can affect plant growth but few studies have evaluated the effects of changes in both water and nutrient availabilities on epiphytes. We experimentally tested whether epiphyte growth is more water- or nutrient-limited, if nutrient limitation was stronger for nitrogen or phosphorus, and whether nutrient limitation interacts with water availability. We applied watering (high and low) and nutrient addition (control, +N, +P, +N+P) treatments to greenhouse-grown Asplenium nidus, a common epiphytic fern found in many tropical and subtropical wet forests. We measured leaf area production and leaf elemental concentrations to assess how A. nidus growth and physiology respond to changes in water and nutrient availabilities. We found that leaf growth of A. nidus was more affected by water availability than nutrient addition and the effect of adding nutrients was not fully realized under low-water availability. Among the different nutrient treatments, +N+P had the greatest effects on A. nidus growth and physiology in both watering treatments. Watering treatment changed leaf elemental concentrations but not their ratios (i.e. C:N and N:P). Nutrient addition altered C:N and N:P ratios and increased the concentration of the added elements in leaves, with more pronounced increases in the high-watering treatment. We conclude that the growth of A. nidus is more water- than nutrient-limited. When nutrient limitation occurs (i.e. under high-water availability), nutrient co-limitation is stronger than limitation by N or P alone. This result taken together with studies of other epiphytes suggests greater water than nutrient limitation is likely widespread among epiphytic plants. The limited effects of nutrient addition in the low-water treatment suggest that the effect of atmospheric N deposition on epiphyte growth will be limited when water availability is low.

Essential oils are biosynthesized in the secondary metabolism of plants, and in their chemical composition, they can be identified different classes of compounds with potential antioxidant and biological applications. Over the years in the Amazon, several species of aromatic plants were discovered and used in traditional medicine. The literature has shown that essential oils extracted from amazon species have several biological activities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, and antiprotozoal activities. These activities are related to the diversified chemical composition found in essential oils that, by synergism, favors its pharmacological action. In light of this vital importance, this study aimed at performing a review of the literature with particular emphasis on the chemical composition and biological activities in studies conducted with species collected in the Amazon, taking into consideration in particular the last 10 years of collection and research.

A irrigação por aspersão diminui bastante o risco de perda da lavoura por deficiência hídrica e aumenta a produtividade de grãos, incentivando maior uso de tecnologias como adubação mineral. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de diferentes manejos da água da irrigação por aspersão com base no coeficiente de cultura (Kc) e da adubação mineral sobre a cultura do arroz cv. IAC 201, foram instalados dois experimentos em Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico, em Selvíria (MS). O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de precipitação pluvial natural e três manejos de água fornecidos por aspersão. O manejo (M2) foi realizado com base no Kc do arroz de terras altas. Os manejos M1 e M3 foram definidos como 0,5 e 1,5 vezes os Kcs utilizados em M2 respectivamente. Em 1995/96, utilizou-se o esquema de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as subparcelas constituídas por dois níveis de adubação: AD1 - 12 kg de N, 90 kg de P2O5 e 30 kg de K2O ha-1, e AD2 - 24 kg de N, 180 kg de P2O5 e 60 kg de K2O ha-1. A deficiência hídrica da emergência da plântula até a diferenciação do primórdio da panícula provocou aumento do ciclo e redução do porte da planta. A deficiência hídrica entre os estádios de diferenciação do primórdio da panícula e os de emborrachamento reduziu o número de espiguetas por panícula. A utilização de 1,5 vezes os valores de Kc recomendados, no manejo da irrigação por aspersão proporcionou maior produtividade de grãos. Os níveis de adubação utilizados não influenciaram a resposta da cultura ao manejo da irrigação por aspersão.

The possibility of introduction of new species of aromatic medicinal plants in the lowland zone of Transcarpathia and their subsequent use for improving the health of the population has been investigated and proven. An analysis of ways to use promising types of aromatic medicinal plants both to expand the range and preserve and enrich the local flora with new plants, and to replenish the market with new vitamin products (seasonings, herbal compositions for canning and herbal teas) for the prevention of the most common diseases. According to the results of the conducted research, the formulation and normative documentation of the innovative product - phytocollections for the Carpathian region were developed. Key words: phytotea, aromatic plants, species, herbal compositions, assortment, properties, effectiveness

Nardostachys jatamansi DC. is a small, herbaceous medicinal and aromatic plant species (MAPs) of family Valerianaceae. Essential oil content in relation to various phenophases (seasonal variation) and methods of drying is not reported so far. Therefore, mature plants were collected from two different sites of Tungnath during four different phenophases and variability in the essential oil content was determined. Optimum essential oil content (2.18 ± 0.16%) was recorded during peak flowering stage (August). Extraction of leaves produced only traces of the essential oil. Essential oil content was highest in freshly distilled samples as compared to air and oven dried samples. The study on quantity of essential oil of different phenophases found to be helpful for getting better quantity of the essential oil and will helpful for practicing good harvesting practices for N. jatamansi.