Essential Oil Yield Research Articles

Co-application of titanium dioxide and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles modulated chromium and salinity stress via modifying physio-biochemical attributes in Solidago canadensis L.

Climate change and human activity have led to an increase in salinity levels and the toxicity of chromium (Cr). One promising approach to modifying these stressors in plants is to use effective nanoparticles (NPs). While titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) and hydroxyapatite (HAP NPs) have been demonstrated to increase plant tolerance to abiotic stress by enhancing antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, and secondary metabolites, it is unknown how these two compounds can work together in situations when salt and Cr toxicity are present. The objective of the current study was to determine the effects of foliar-applied TiO2 NPs (15mgL-1) and HAP NPs (250mgL-1) separately and in combination on growth, chlorophyll (Chl), water content, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant capacity, phenolic content, and essential oils (EOs) of Solidago canadensis L. under salinity (100mM NaCl) and Cr toxicity (100mgkg-1 soil). Salinity was more deleterious than Cr by decreasing plant weight, Chl a + b, relative water content (RWC), EO yield, and increasing malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and catalase (CAT) activity. The co-application of TiO2 and HAP NPs proved to be more successful. This was evidenced by the increased shoot weight (36%), root weight (29%), Chl a + b (23%), RWC (15%), total phenolic content (TPC, 34%), total flavonoid content (TFC, 28%), and EO yield (56%), but decreased MDA (21%), EL (11%), SOD (22%) and CAT activity (38%) in salt-exposed plants. The study demonstrated the effective strategy of co-applying these NPs to modify abiotic stress by enhancing phenolic compounds and EO yield as key results.

Controlled drought stress affects rosemary essential oil composition with minimal impact on biomass yield

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.), an indigenous medicinal and aromatic plant within the Mediterranean region, yields essential oils renowned for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. When subjected to various stress conditions, rosemary intensifies the production of essential oils as a defensive mechanism, as occurs when it is subjected to drought stress, making it a potentially interesting crop for marginal dryland areas of Sicily and other Mediterranean areas. Managing rosemary cultivation through controlled drought stress close to the balsamic period may increase the concentration and quality of essential oils and optimize the use of limited resources like water. We conducted two on-farm field experiments in Sicily, southern Italy, to assess the effect of controlled drought stress on rosemary biomass, essential oil yield, and composition. The hypothesis was that drought could improve the concentration of essential oils and modify their chemical composition by increasing valuable aromatic components without negatively impacting crop biomass production, increasing interest in cultivating this species. The experiments were co-designed with farmers selecting dedicated field experiments, cultivars, and crop management. Drought stress was applied during autumn and spring in correspondence with medium-high temperatures and rainwater scarcity. The irrigation input was reduced for three weeks during the balsamic period for each trail. Under stressed conditions, morphometric traits were measured. At harvest time, essential oils were extracted using microwave-assisted extraction. Under the same farm conditions, the canopy height was significantly higher in ‘Barbeque’ than ‘Tuscan Blue cv. (67.3 cm vs. 43.8 cm) This indicates a genotype influence on stress response. Essential oil yield increased by 30 % in plants of Tuscan blue cv. subjected to stress conditions in one of two farms. Additionally, drought stress altered the aromatic profile of the essential oil, resulting in differing percentages of key compounds between stressed and unstressed plants. Generally, there was a higher α-pinene percentage in unstressed plants and higher bornyl-acetate and β-caryophyllene concentrations in drought-stressed plants. In the Scicli farm, α-pinene decreased in response to water stress, while camphene and myrcene increased. Our results summarized that controlled drought stress had a minimal impact on rosemary growth, increasing the percentages of some terpenes in its essential oils. No severe decrease was observed in the synthesis of essential oils, suggesting that rosemary is suitable for marginal soils in many Mediterranean countries to protect soils and diversify crops in farms.

오미자(Schisandra chinensis) 열매의 과육과 씨에서 정유 및 리그난 성분 비교

Fully ripe Omija (Schisandra chinensis Baillon) berry has been used for medicinal and edible purposes for a long time due to its various physiological activities. The seeds of Omija fruit are produced during the processing of the fruit, but are often discarded in the food industry. To increase the utilization of Omija seeds, this study investigated the differences in essential oil and lignan compositions between the pulp and seed. The yield of essential oil in whole berries was 1.33% based on dry weight, 0.91% in the pulp, and 2.65% in the seed, respectively. A total of 62 constituents were identified by GC and GC–MS analysis from the oils of the two parts. The major constituents were sesquiterpenes, such as α-ylangene, cuparene, alloaromadendrene, cis-lanceol, β-himachalene, and nootkatone. The content of these ingredients was higher in the seed than in the pulp. The most abundant lignan compounds in the berry were schizandrin, followed by γ-schizandrin, schizandrin A, and schizandrol B. The content of the four lignans in the seed was significantly higher than in the pulp. The seeds of Omija have higher contents of essential oils and lignan compounds compared to the pulp, making it necessary to explore approaches for utilizing them as food ingredients.

오미자(Schisandra chinensis) 열매의 과육과 씨에서 정유 및 리그난 성분 비교

Fully ripe Omija (Schisandra chinensis Baillon) berry has been used for medicinal and edible purposes for a long time due to its various physiological activities. The seeds of Omija fruit are produced during the processing of the fruit, but are often discarded in the food industry. To increase the utilization of Omija seeds, this study investigated the differences in essential oil and lignan compositions between the pulp and seed. The yield of essential oil in whole berries was 1.33% based on dry weight, 0.91% in the pulp, and 2.65% in the seed, respectively. A total of 62 constituents were identified by GC and GC–MS analysis from the oils of the two parts. The major constituents were sesquiterpenes, such as α-ylangene, cuparene, alloaromadendrene, cis-lanceol, β-himachalene, and nootkatone. The content of these ingredients was higher in the seed than in the pulp. The most abundant lignan compounds in the berry were schizandrin, followed by γ-schizandrin, schizandrin A, and schizandrol B. The content of the four lignans in the seed was significantly higher than in the pulp. The seeds of Omija have higher contents of essential oils and lignan compounds compared to the pulp, making it necessary to explore approaches for utilizing them as food ingredients.

Operational parameters optimization of convection air-drying with ultrasound pretreatment of Cyperus rotundus L. tubers by RSM

Drying is an important step in the postharvest processing of agricultural products, as it allows the product to be preserved by reducing water activity to safe values, which stops microorganism growth and enzymatic reactions. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess how various drying temperatures, combined with ultrasonic pretreatment, affect drying rates and essential oil production. Assays were conducted according to a Central Composite Rotational Design, considering two factors with the following intervals: duration of the ultrasonic bath from 0 to 40 min, drying air temperature from 40 to 70 °C. The optimization was carried out using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and its constituents were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Histochemical analyses of fresh tubers were performed. The Midilli model was the one that best described the drying kinetics of Cyperus rotundus in all treatments. The drying time of C. rotundus tubers was dependent only on temperature (decreasing linear effect), it was possible to describe the variation in drying time as a function of temperature. It was not possible to adjust a model for ultrasonic bath time or drying temperature that would optimize both essential oil yield and the drying time of C. rotundus tubers. However, in this study, shorter drying times were observed compared to previous studies on C. rotundus tubers drying in the shade at room temperature. A total of 29 chemical constituents have been identified in the essential oil extracted from C. rotundus tubers, of which the majority are: 3,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-carboxaldehyde (19.23%); caryophyllene oxide (17.63%); and α-cyperone (9.54%). Histochemical analyses of C. rotundus tubers showed the presence of starch, phenolic compounds, and lipids.

GC-MS analysis and nutra-pharmaceutical potential of Mentha piperita essential oil extracted by supercritical fluid extraction and hydro-distillation

This study reports the comparative evaluation of yield, physico-chemical composition and biological attributes (antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, biofilm inhibition and hemolytic activity) of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) essential oil (EO) obtained by hydro-distillation (HD) and supercritical fluid (CO2) extraction (SCFE) methods. The yield (%) of EO obtained by HD (0.20 %) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of SCFE (0.13 %) while the variation in the physical parameters like solubility, color, density (at 25 °C) and refractive index (at 25 °C) was not significant between the tested oils. The data of chemical compositional analysis revealed that menthol was the key component in the EO obtained by HD (52.85 %) and SCFE (45.51 %), followed by menthone [HD (25.93 %) and SCFE (27.3 %)] and eucalyptol [HD (8.59 %); SCFE (8.92 %)]. The EO extracted with supercritical fluid (SCFE-EO) exhibited superior (p < 0.05) DPPH free radical inhibition potential (52 %) with an IC50 value of 15.65 μg/mL and reducing power compared to that of HD-EO. The highest antimicrobial activity was exhibited by SCFE-EO against Pasturella multocida with an inhibition zone of 18.00 mm (MIC value of 86 μg/mL). The results of biofilm inhibition and hemolytic activity revealed that the SCFE method was superior to recover high quality EO in comparison to the HD method. The peppermint EO obtained by SCFE, owing to potent bioactive components, can be a potential candidate to develop nutra-pharmaceuticals.

Seed yield limitations of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) based on plant structure analysis

The present study describes the dependencies of key productivity and growth indicators of coriander plants on sowing rate and fertilization parameters. The aim of the research was to establish the patterns of coriander yield formation through the prism of plant structure considering modifications in nutrient conditions and sowing rates. Graphical models and correlation matrices were developed for three coriander varieties with similar morphological features (Oksanit, Nectar, Caribe). Data from field studies conducted in 2013–2015 in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine serve as the basis for model construction. Two variable technological elements were studied (sowing rate of seeds; fertilization system) to determine the dependencies of biometric indicators for each variety. 3D graphical models of dependency for structural elements showed advantages over linear models. Seed yield of coriander in the study ranged from 1.24 t/ha with the lowest sowing rate to 1.91 t/ha with a sowing rate of 2.5 million seeds/ha. Maximum essential oil yield for cv. Oksanit was 46.4 kg/ha with a seed yield of 2.16 tons/ha. Cv. Nectar forms 45.6 kg/ha of essential oil with a seed yield of 2.01 tons/ha, and cv. Caribe forms 40.6 kg/ha with a seed yield of 2.06 tons/ha. Absence of statistically significant correlation between seed yield and essential oil output points to the peculiarities of the experiment. Research factors have opposing effects on the formation of essential oil, and consequently, its yield from the seed yield. The value of the results lies in the potential application of this approach in practice and the implementation of findings in the humid zone. The development of productivity models (like 3D plots) across a range of multiple factors simultaneously, based on crop structure indicators, allows for the prediction of target crop parameters, enabling the efficient utilization of available resources.

Comprehensive evaluation of drought stress on medicinal plants: a meta-analysis.

Drought stress significantly affects plants by altering their physiological and biochemical processes, which can severely limit their growth and development. Similarly, drought has severe negative effects on medicinal plants, which are essential for healthcare. The effects are particularly significant in areas that rely mostly on traditional medicine, which might potentially jeopardize both global health and local economies. Understanding effects of droughts on medicinal plants is essential for developing strategies to enhance plant adaptability to drought stress, which is vital for sustaining agricultural productivity under changing climatic conditions. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted on 27 studies examining various parameters such as plant yield, chlorophyll content, relative water content, essential oil content, essential oil yield, non-enzymatic antioxidants, enzymatic antioxidants, phenols, flavonoids, and proline content. The analysis explored the effects of drought across different stress conditions (control, moderate, and severe) to gain deeper insights into the drought's impact. The categorization of these stress conditions was based on field or soil capacity: control (100-80%), moderate (80-50%), and severe (below 50%). This classification was guided by the authors' descriptions in their studies. According to meta-analysis results, enzymatic antioxidants emerge as the most responsive parameters to stress. Other parameters such as relative water content (RWC) and yield also exhibit considerable negative mean effect sizes under all three stress conditions. Therefore, when evaluating the impacts of drought stress on medicinal plants, it is beneficial to include these three parameters (enzymatic antioxidants, RWC, and yield) in an evaluation of drought stress. The chlorophyll content has been determined not to be a reliable indicator for measuring impact of drought stress. Also, measuring antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenols could be a better option than using radical scavenging methods like DPPH (2, 2-difenil-1-pikrilhidrazil), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), and ABTS (2, 2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)).

Essential Oil Content, Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity from Different Plant Parts of Wild Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) in Montenegro.

This study was conducted to determine the sea fennel essential oil (SFEO) yield, composition, and antioxidant activity of leaves, stem, inflorescences, and umbels from seeds of wild sea fennel (SF) (Crithmum maritimum L.) from the Montenegro coast. The chemical composition of isolated essential oil was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID analyses. The antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The maximum SFEO yield was found in umbels with seeds (4.77 mL/100 g p.m.). The leaves contained less EO (0.52 mL/100 g p.m.) than immature inflorescence (0.83 mL/100 g p.m.) The minimum EO content was found in the stem (0.08%). Twenty components were isolated from SFEO leaves, twenty-four from inflorescence, thirty-four components from the stem, and twenty-one components from umbels with seeds. Limonene (62.4-72.0%), γ-terpinene (9.5-14.0%), α-pinene (1.4-5.8%), and sabinene (1-6.5%) were found to be the main components of the SFEO from monoterpene hydrocarbons as dominant grouped components (86% to 98.1%). SF plant parts showed differences in chemical profiles, especially in specific and low-represented ingredients. (E)-anethole (4.4%), fenchone (0.5%), and trans-carveol (0.2%) were present only in umbel with seeds, while the β-longipipene (0.5%), (E)-caryophyllene (0.5%), and (2E)-decenal (0.2%) were found only in the stems. The degree of DPPH radical neutralization increased with incubation time. The SFEO isolated from the stems showed stronger antioxidant activity during the incubation times of 20 and 40 min (EC50 value of 5.30 mg/mL and 5.04 mg/mL, respectively) in comparison to the SFEO isolated from the other plant parts. The lowest antioxidant activity was obtained with the SFEO leaves (155.25 mg/mL and 58.30 mg/mL, respectively). This study indicates that SFEO possesses significant antioxidant activities and is animportant component in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is important to preserve the existing gene pool and biodiversity with rational use SF for the extraction of high-quality essential oils.

The Influence of Physical Fields (Magnetic and Electric) and LASER Exposure on the Composition and Bioactivity of Cinnamon Bark, Patchouli, and Geranium Essential Oils.

In recent years, essential oils (EOs) have received increased attention from the research community, and the EOs of cinnamon, patchouli, and geranium have become highly recognized for their antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. Due to these properties, they have become valuable and promising candidates for addressing the worldwide threat of antimicrobial resistance and other diseases. Simultaneously, studies have revealed promising new results regarding the effects of physical fields (magnetic and electric) and LASER (MEL) exposure on seed germination, plant growth, biomass accumulation, and the yield and composition of EOs. In this frame, the present study aims to investigate the influence of MEL treatments on cinnamon, patchouli, and geranium EOs, by specifically examining their composition, antimicrobial properties, and antioxidant activities. Results showed that the magnetic influence has improved the potency of patchouli EO against L. monocytogenes, S. enteritidis, and P. aeruginosa, while the antimicrobial activity of cinnamon EO against L. monocytogenes was enhanced by the electric and laser treatments. All exposures have increased the antifungal effect of geranium EO against C. albicans. The antioxidant activity was not modified by any of the treatments. These findings could potentially pave the way for a deeper understanding of the efficiency, the mechanisms of action, and the utilization of EOs, offering new insights for further exploration and application.

Characterization and Antioxidant Activity Assay of Essential Oil Parts of Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is known as a plant whose calyx contain high levels of antioxidant bioactive compounds and good inhibitory power against free radicals. However, other parts of the rosella plant have not yet been utilized for their antioxidant content and activity. The aim of this research is to compare the profiles of essential oils of parts of the rosella plant (seeds, leaves and flower petals) and their antioxidant activity. This research method begins with the process of extracting essential oils using the water-steam distillation method. Furthermore, the profile of the essential oil is known from the results of yield calculations and characterization using the GC-MS instrument. The antioxidant activity was tested using the DPPH method. The yield of essential oils obtained was 0.0107% for seeds, 0.0087% for leaves and 0.0136% for flower petals. GC-MS characterization shows that the most abundant chemical components contained in the essential oils of seeds, leaves, and flower petals are fatty acid compounds (2-propanoic acid, butanoic acid, hexanoic acid) and esters (neopentyl isobutyrate). The results of the antioxidant activity test showed the IC50 value for each essential oil, namely, seeds: 30.15 μg/ml, leaves: 171.27 μg/ml and flower petals: 126.58 μg/ml. The compound characteristics obtained showed the best results for rosella seed essential oil, this was supported by the fairly high antioxidant activity test results IC50 &lt;50 μg/ml. Keywords: Antioxidant activity, Characterization, Essential oils, IC50, Yield.

Application of seaweed liquid extract improves the growth, yield, and chemical constituents of lemongrass

The rapid increase in the adoption of seaweed-based bioproducts in crop production systems can be attributed to their unique bioactive components and significant beneficial effects. In the growing interest of sustainable agricultural practices, the present study aims to reduce the dependency on chemical fertilizers while enhancing crop productivity and quality through seaweed extract. A field experiment was carried out during 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 at CSIR-CIMAP, Allalasandra, Research Center, Bengaluru to study the influence of seaweed liquid extracts as a foliar application on growth, yield, and chemical composition of lemongrass. Results revealed that the growth, herb and essential oil yield of lemongrass was improved significantly by the application of Kappaphycus alvarezii (K sap) at 20% concentration, recording herb and oil yield of 35.86 t ha−1 year−1 and 466.70 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively when conjugated with a recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), compared to RDF alone, 30.40% and 35.70% in herb and oil yields, respectively, were recorded in this treatment. Notably, the treatment 50% RDF + K sap applied at 7.5% concentration was statistically at par with RDF with respect to the herb as well as oil yield connoting considerable scope of reducing chemical fertilizer requirement for the lemongrass. The functional relationship between herb and oil yield of lemongrass with different concentrations of seaweed sap applied at different crop stages was found to be strongly correlated (r2=0.99 and r2=0.98, respectively). Higher amounts of citronellal (0.70%) Borneol (1.10%), α-Terpineol (1.90%), and Citronellyl acetate (0.4%) were recorded in 20% K sap spray with RDF. The study revealed that the application of marine alga Kappaphycus alvarezii foliar spray above the 10 - 20% concentration significantly increased the herb, essential oil yield, and chemical constituents of lemongrass.

Natural deep eutectic solvents-based concurrent approach for qualitative and quantitative enhancement of Rosa damascena essential oil and recovery of phenolics from distilled rose petals

In pursuit of adopting environment friendly methodologies to amplify essential oil (EO) yield of industrially important aromatic plants, enrichment of bioactive content in distillation waste, and to establish the recovery process for the enriched product; this study employed natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) as cosolvent in the conventional hydro distillation method using Rosa damascena Mill L (Damask rose) petals as biomass. R. damascena is one of the most important species of Rosaceae family known for producing high-valued rose EO [often termed as “liquid gold”] but with very low yield. Herein, nine NADESs were used as cosolvent along with conventional hydro distillation method which led to 1.7 times EO yield enhancement (retention of EO quality as per ISO guidelines) using NADES-4 [choline chloride: glycerol (1:1)] as cosolvent. Further, to sustainably utilize the residue (otherwise waste) left after hydro distillation, hydrolate (aqueous part left in the flask) and spent (dried solid waste) were analyzed with UHPLC to determine targeted phenolics compounds. All the samples (EO, dried hydrolate, and spent) were also evaluated for in-vitro antioxidant activity using DPPH-radical scavenging assay, which revealed that hydrolate obtained by using NADES-5 [choline chloride: glucose (5:1)] showed the highest activity (IC50 0.85 µg/mL) as compared to ascorbic acid (IC50 5.40 µg/mL). Hence, the present study provides a green protocol for enhancing rose EO yield with phenolics-enriched antioxidant byproducts.

Ecological pre-treatment of cell wall degrading enzymes from Pleurotus djamor for optimized essential oil extraction from Melissa officinalis L.

Melissa officinalis L. is a plant with different medicinal and culinary uses, which is considered one of the essential oils with the highest market value, mainly because of its low yield. The use of technologies that improve the extraction of this essential oil is justified. The study evaluated the use of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDE) obtained from Pleorotus djamor to extract essential oil of Melissa officinalis L.. For the optimization of the enzymatic pre-treatment, the independent variables time and CWDE/H2O ratio were evaluated through central composite rotational design (CCRD). The essential oil extraction was carried out by hydrodistillation after pre-treatment. The results showed that the pre-treatment was able to increase the essential oil yield by 71 % and reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 42 %, when applied for 60 minutes and CWDE/H2O ratio (25/450 mL.mL−1). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to evaluate the essential oil composition. The majority of compounds were citral (Neral +Geranial). In addition, the increase of this compound was observed at about 24 %. The lemon balm plant cell wall was degraded. Considering the production and energy costs and increase yield as well as the quality of lemon balm essential oil, the application of CWDE was efficient.

Rosa × damascena Herrm. From Azaran region, Kashan: rich in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with inhibitory effect against Proteus mirabilis

BackgroundOne of the most widely used medicinal plants in Iranian traditional medicine, Rosa × damascena Herrm. (mohammadi flower) that the people of Kashan use as a sedative and to treat nervous diseases and constipation. In this research, the yield, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of this plant were evaluated for the first time from Azaran region, Kashan.MethodsThe essential oil was extracted by means of hydrodistillation (Clevenger), and its chemical compounds were identified and determined by GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined by the diffusion method in agar, the minimum growth inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum concentration capable of killing bacterial/fungal microorganisms (MBC/MFC).ResultsThe results showed that the yield of essential oil was 0.1586 ± 0.0331% (w/w). Based on the results of the chemical composition analysis of R. x damascena essential oil, 19 different compounds (98.96%) were identified. The dominant and main components of the essential oil were oleic acid (48.08%), palmitic acid (15.44%), stearic acid (10.17%), citronellol (7.37%) and nonadecane (3.70%). Based on the results of diffusion in agar, the highest zone of inhibition against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was ~ 9.5 mm. The strongest inhibitory activity of R. x damascena essential oil against Gram-negative Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 43071) was with the diameter of the inhibition zone (~ 9 mm), which was equal to the strength of rifampin (~ 9 mm).ConclusionTherefore, this essential oil is a promising natural option rich in fatty acids, which can be a potential for the production of natural antimicrobials against infectious diseases, especially urinary tract infections.

Effect of pruning intensity on biomass and essential oil yield in wild paramela (Adesmia boronioides Hook f.)

Adesmia boronioides Hook. f. (known as paramela), a member of the Fabaceae family, is native to Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia. Its leaves and young stems are used in the traditional health care system of these countries to treat rheumatic pains, colds, digestive disorders, and respiratory congestion. Paramela presents excellent organoleptic qualities and is attracting growing commercial interest. In recent years the gathering of plant material from natural populations for the extraction and export of essential oils has increased; however, no studies exist on harvest management for this species. In this study plants from a natural A. boronioides population underwent three different pruning treatments (light, medium and heavy) and their response in biomass production and the yield and quality of their essential oils was evaluated over four consecutive years. Of the different pruning intensities, the medium level generated the greatest amount of biomass for all years (p< 0.001) even though the increase seen in production up to the third harvest was followed by a marked decrease. By applying a medium pruning level for two consecutive years on the same plants, we achieved up to 112 % more biomass and 116 % higher essential oil yield compared to the initial pruning. Under the heavy pruning treatment 10 % of the plants died after the second consecutive pruning. Furthermore, we compared the yield and qualitative characteristics of essential oils (EO) over the first three years under the medium pruning level. We observed that EO yields increased after successive pruning, but the chemical compositions (GC-FID-MS) were not significantly affected in the years evaluated. These results provide valuable information for the design of sustainable harvesting protocols for A. boronioides and indicate ways to improve the yield in biomass and essential oils from wild populations.

Simulation of the process of cryogenic freezing of coriander seeds

In the technology for extracting the required components from plant raw materials, in most cases, the grinding process is used as a preparatory operation before the main process, followed by the separation of the extracted material into target components.In most cases, as a result of such a process, we can talk about the effective extraction of only a single target component, while others inevitably lose their qualitative and quantitative indicators, which is due to the morphology of the plant raw material.One of the promising directions in the processes of destruction of plant material for further operations is selective disintegration. For this purpose optimal process conditions have been selected, such as heating, freezing and others. Raw materials obtained as a result of selective destruction can be effectively fractionated according to morphological and physicochemical characteristics, and only after that can be sent to subsequent operations with the greatest efficiency.Under modern conditions, the loss of essential oil in coriander associated with splitting the fruit reaches 23.4% of the oil weight in whole fruits. At the same time, the essential oil from split fruits is enriched with valuable components – linalool, geraniol, geranyl acetate and, in addition, contains less hydrocarbons and camphor. As shown in [1], oil from split fruits can be used to adjust the composition of batches of coriander essential oil in order to increase the content of linalool while simultaneously reducing the content of undesirable components – hydrocarbons and camphor, and can also be used primarily to isolate valuable components – linalool, geraniol. To reduce losses associated with splitting coriander fruits, it has been proposed to carry out mathematical modeling of the process of cryogenic freezing with subsequent grinding of the frozen mass, which will significantly reduce losses of essential oil. Considering that essential oils extracted from coriander show high antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal activity [2], increasing the yield of high-quality coriander essential oil will allow its wider use in flavoring and food preservation, as well as for medicinal purposes, which is important and actual task.

Assessment of Agronomic Traits and Essential Oil Yield in Various Local Mint (Mentha piperita L.) Genotypes

Objective: Mentha piperita L. has long been used in medicine, pharmaceutical industry, food and cosmetic industries due to the bioactive compounds it contains. This study was carried out to determine some agronomic characteristics and essential oil yield of mint genotypes collected from different regions of Ordu province. Materials and Methods: A total of 44 different genotypes collected from 16 different districts of Ordu province were used in the study. Rooted mint cuttings were grown in unheated plastic greenhouse in balcony type plastic pots. Mint plants were harvested in 3 different periods and shoot length, leaf width, leaf length, colour characteristics, leaf chlorophyll index, total yield and essential oil yield were determined. Principal component analyses were performed using the data obtained from these traits. Unweighted pair group method algorithm (UPGMA) clustering analysis was performed using Euclidean similarity distance and dendrograms of genotypes were formed. Results: At the end of the study, plant length was 12.2-60.6 cm, leaf width 0.8-4.3 cm, leaf length 1.2-9.8 cm, leaf chlorophyll index 4.75-47.8 cci (SPAD), essential oil yield 0.45-2.9% and total yield 0.1-4.2 t da-1 in mint genotypes. As a result of the principal component analysis, the eigenvalues of the first 4 principal component axes were found to be greater than 1. The first 3 axes have high variation percentage compared to other axes. Mint genotypes were divided into 2 main groups and 4 subgroups in the UPGMA dendrogram. While G12 and G33 were the closest mint genotypes, G10 and G11 were found to be genetically distant genotypes. Conclusion: In the study, genotypes that exhibit potential in terms of total yield and essential oil yield have been identified. As a result of the research, agronomic characteristics and essential oil ratios of different mint genotypes were determined and qualified genotypes that can be material for future breeding studies were determined.

Research on the Use of Organic Fertilizer Instead of Chemical Fertilizer and Its Effect on the Morphological and Yield in Fennel Plant

Objective: Organic manures can be used as an alternative method to replace chemical fertilizers for sustainable agricultural production. Sheep manure and vermicompost are the most important alternative applications. These manures can increase soil fertility, plant productivity, and quality. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) has been used as a medicinal and aromatic plant throughout human history, and it is widely used as a food additive, pharmacological substance, and medicinal application. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted to determine the effect of different organic applications (sheep manure (SM) and vermicompost manure (VM)-10, 15, and 20 t/ha) and chemical fertilizer (Ammonium sulfate (AS)-40, 80, and 120 kg/ha) with a control (no fertilizer or manure) on the morphology, yield, and essential oil, and fixed oil yield of fennel. Results: The results of the study showed that significant statistical differences were found only in plant height and the fixed oil yield of fennel. The fruit yield ranged from 90.14 kg/da to 122.72 kg/da, and the 80 kg/ha ammonium sulfate (AS-2) and 10 t/ha sheep manure (SM-1) applications had the highest values. Essential oil yield and fixed oil yield changed between 2.57-3.85 L/da and 16.18-36.90 L/da, respectively. The result of the study suggested that applications of SM-1 had the highest thousand fruit weight, fruit yield, essential oil yield, and fixed oil yield compared to other applications. PCA analysis showed the relationships among the examined properties, and component 1 and component 2 revealed 61.50% of the total variation of the valuables. Conclusion: Sheep manure application (SM-1) can be used for the high fruit, essential oil, and fixed oil yield of fennel for sustainable agriculture.

Foliar-applied melatonin and titanium nanoparticles modulate cadmium (Cd) toxicity through minimizing Cd accumulation and optimizing physiological and biochemical properties in sage (Salvia officinalis L.).

Notwithstanding the fact that melatonin (MT) and titanium nanoparticles (Ti NPs) alone have been widely used recently to modulate cadmium (Cd) stress in plants, there is a gap in the comparative impacts of these materials on lowering Cd toxicity in sage plants. The objective of this study was to determine how foliar application of MT and Ti NPs affected the growth, Cd accumulation, photosynthesis, water content, lipid peroxidation, and essential oil (EO) quality and quantity of sage plants in Cd-contaminated soils. A factorial experiment was conducted using MT at 100 and 200μM and Ti NPs at 50 and 100mg L-1 topically, together with Cd toxicity at 10 and 20mg Cd kg-1 soil. The results showed that Cd toxicity decreased plant growth and enhanced lipid peroxidation. The Cd stress at 20mgkg-1 soil resulted in increases in Cd root (693%), Cd shoot (429%), electrolyte leakage (EL, 29%), malondialdehyde (MDA, 72%), shoot weight (31%), root weight (27%), chlorophyll (Chl) a + b (26%), relative water content (RWC, 23%), and EO yield (30%). The application of MT and Ti NPs controlled drought stress by reducing MDA and EL, enhancing plant weight, Chl, RWC, and EO production, and minimizing Cd accumulation in plant tissues. The predominant compounds in the EO were α-thujone, 1,8-cineole, β-thujone, camphor, and α-humulene. MT and Ti NPs caused α-thujone to rise, whereas Cd stress caused it to fall. Based on heat map analysis, MDA was the trait that was most sensitive to treatments. In summary, the research emphasizes the possibility of MT and Ti NPs, particularly MT at 200μM, to mitigate Cd toxicity in sage plants and enhance their biochemical reactions.