Abstract
The work presented herein deals with the characterization and valorization of a halophyte from the cliffs of the Asturian coast: Limonium binervosum (G.E.Sm.) C.E.Salmon (rock sea-lavender). Its biomass and hydromethanolic extracts were studied by elemental and thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. Tetradecanoic acid/esters and 1,2-tetradecanediol were identified in its flower extract, while the leaf extract was rich in linolenic and linoleic acids and their esters, hexadecanoic acid and its esters, and phytol. Both flower and leaf hydromethanolic extracts contained eicosane, sitosterol and tocopherols in significant amounts. With a view to its valorization, the antimicrobial activity of these extracts was investigated against three apple tree and grapevine phytopathogens. Both the hydroalcoholic extracts and their main constituents, alone or in combination with chitosan oligomers (COS), were tested in vitro. A remarkable antibacterial activity was observed for the conjugated complexes of the flower extract with COS, both against Xylophilus ampelinus (MIC = 250 μg·mL−1) and Erwinia amylovora (MIC = 500 μg·mL−1), and complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of Diplodia seriata was found at concentrations <1000 μg·mL−1. In view of these results, this extremophile plant can be put forward as a promising source of bioactive metabolites.
Highlights
Limonium is one of the most important species-rich genera in the Plumbaginaceae family.This widespread genus of halophytes and taxa includes sexual diploids of the L. ovalifolium (Poir.) Kuntze complex, the triploid L. algarvense Erben and the agamospermous tetraploids of the L. binervosum (G.E.Sm.) C.E.Salmon complex [1]
In relation to the elemental analysis results, the carbon content is close to that reported by Park et al [24] for L. tetragonum (Thunb.) Bullock (45.5%), while the nitrogen content in leaves is in good agreement with that reported for L. echioides (L.) Mill. for complete shoots [25]
The fact that the values of the C/N ratios for flowers are twice those obtained for leaves is consistent with the higher percentage of carbonitrogenated compounds in leaves (viz. n-methyl-1-adamantaneacetamide, and 2-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-4(3-methyl-benzylidene)-4h-oxazol-5-one, which account for ca. 3% according to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)
Summary
Limonium is one of the most important species-rich genera in the Plumbaginaceae family. This widespread genus of halophytes and taxa includes sexual diploids of the L. ovalifolium (Poir.) Kuntze complex, the triploid L. algarvense Erben and the agamospermous tetraploids of the L. binervosum (G.E.Sm.) C.E.Salmon complex [1]. The L. binervosum aggregate is a species group that has not been assigned to any of the subsections of L. sect. Was first reported in 1922 by Salmon [3]. The habitat of L. binervosum includes coastal cliffs, pebble beach margins, steppes, meadows and lagoons. It grows on the Atlantic coasts of Europe, from the south-west
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