Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are plant-root symbionts whose application in agriculture has been proven its efficiency. However, their application in medicinal plants and their impact on accumulation of essential oils (EO) is still limited. In order to investigate the effect of AM fungi (Glomus intraradices N.C. Schenck & G.S. Sm.) C. Walker & A. Schuessle) on nutrients uptake, biomass production, yield components, chlorophyll content, and EO content and composition in dill (Anethum graveolens L.), a field experiment was conducted as randomized complete block design with three replications. This medicinal plant was grown under AM fungi colonization and non-colonization treatments. Plant inoculation by mycorrhiza increased aerial tissues P and Fe concentrations. However, K, Ca, and Zn concentrations were not affected by AM colonization. The plants inoculated with AM significantly increased plant biomass, chlorophyll content, and EO content by 363 g m−2, 11.83 SPAD and 0.683 % in comparison with non-inoculated plants, respectively. Changes in EO composition were found in AM-colonized dill plants. The contents of myristicin, dill-ether and N-dihydrocarvone increased in EO obtained from AM-colonized plants, while AM colonization resulted in a lesser content of α-pinene, α-phellandrene, limonene, and β-phellandrene.
Highlights
Medicinal plants play major roles in human health services worldwide (Weisany et al, 2015), and herbal medicine is gaining importance at global level (Wondimu et al, 2007)
Essential oils (EO) constituents of the medicinal and aromatic plants are most frequently used as a source of new bioactive molecules
Myristicin and apiole in A. graveolens EO components are applied as a toxin and repellent to growing larvae and adults of Tribolium castaneum (Chaubey, 2007)
Summary
Medicinal plants play major roles in human health services worldwide (Weisany et al, 2015), and herbal medicine is gaining importance at global level (Wondimu et al, 2007). Essential oils (EO) constituents of the medicinal and aromatic plants are most frequently used as a source of new bioactive molecules. Weria WEISANY are abundant in flowers, leaves, seeds, and are usually isolated via hydro-distillation, cold pressing methods (Edris, 2007). Their main active components are: carvone, carvacrol, eugenol, myristicin and apiole (Duke, 2001), their mechanism of action is still poorly understood (Burt, 2004; Calo et al, 2015). Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) is important essential oils producing plant. The essential oils from its fruits and shoots are used in pharmacology as well as food and in soap industries
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