The effect of beet curly top virus on growth and phytochemical constituents of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

Abstract

Leaves and seeds of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) are edible and have been used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of the beet curly top virus-sever on the physical and chemical properties of coriander leaves. Plants were inoculated at the three-five leaf stage with the infectious clone of the virus, and for mock inoculation, plants were treated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing binary vectors without virus sequence. Infected plants had a reduction in height (35 %) and in fresh and dry mass (21 and 30 %) respectively. In addition, in plants with high infestation intensity, flowering stems did not form, and seed production stopped completely. The total content of flavonoids, phenolic, and vitamin C decreased in the leaves of infected plants. The essential oil content did not significantly differ between the two treatments. Analysis of GC and GC–MS showed that the production of alcoholic compounds (33.02–36.03 %) and estragole (11.35–13.27 %) as a phenyl propene compound were reduced in essential oils of infected plants, but terpenoids (3.5–2.13 %) and aldehydes (35.9–40.68 %) were increased in their essential oils. n-tetradecanol, 2E-dodecenal, estragole, 2E-decenal, decanal, dodecanal, tetradecanal, and 2E-decenyl acetate were the main identified essential oil compound in both treatments. Virus infection changed the quality and quantity of chemical compounds; therefore, it is probable that the medicinal and culinary quality of coriander would be affected. Due to these chemical changes and, more importantly, the severe reduction in seed production of infected plants, it is recommended to investigate and evaluate the resistance of commercial cultivars and domestic coriander genotypes to the virus.