Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants最新文献

Floral hemp, a plant rich in cannabinoids, has gained attention for its potential therapeutic properties. It is crucial to have proper storage conditions that will maintain the cannabinoid content. To the best of our knowledge, very little has been done on the storage conditions of dried floral hemp. Hence, this study investigated the effect of storage conditions like moisture content, temperature, storage time, light exposure, and packaging materials, on cannabinoid stability in dried floral hemp. The cultivar ‘Quick Spectrum’ at two moisture levels (8.5 and 4.5 %) was stored over a 6-month storage period. Results indicated that a higher amount of cannabinoids samples was retained at 8.5 ± 1 % moisture compared to samples at 4.5 ± 0.5 %, even though total CBD, total ∆9-THC, and total CBDV content remained statistically the same throughout the storage period, and was not affected by temperature, lighting, and packaging material. In contrast, certain individual cannabinoids, such as CBDVA, CBD, ∆9-THCA, and ∆9-THC were significantly affected by temperature and lighting. Notably, higher storage temperatures (22 °C) and light exposure (F15T8/F5 fluorescent light) increased the degradation and decarboxylation rate of cannabinoids. These findings showed the importance of optimized storage conditions for floral hemp, especially long-term storage. This will help provide standardized storage protocols to aid producers, testing laboratories, distributors, and consumers in making informed decisions about storage practices and advancing quality control in the hemp industry.

Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. (Rosemary) holds significant value in medicinal and aromatic applications, serving as a key ingredient in pharmaceuticals, food products, and cosmetics. While many plant species benefit from seed-based propagation, S. rosmarinus poses a challenge due to its mucilaginous seed coating. As a result, germination rates often remain low, ranging from 10 % to 20 %, leading to irregular crop establishment. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of hormonal and other pre-sowing treatments on seed germination of S. rosmarinus. Four distinct treatments were evaluated including physical (sandpaper scarification, dry heat, hot and cold water stratification), chemical (sulphuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium nitrate), hormonal treatments (GA₃, IAA, and BAP), combination of pre-chilling and hormonal, as well as different potting media combinations, which were compared against an untreated control. All pre-sowing seed treatments, except for hot water, dry heat, chemical treatments, and nanozim, resulted in increased seed germination percentages in S. rosmarinus compared to the control group. Among the different treatments, the combination of pre-chilling + GA₃ and pre-chilling + soil: sand (1:1) treatment resulted in the highest germination percentages of 59.33 % and 63.83 %, compared with those in the control where the germination was 6.83 % and 0.67 %. Potassium nitrate (0.3 % for 3 min) was found to be the most effective chemical treatment with a germination percentage of 24.83 % and seedling vigor index of 3.93 ± 0.69. Pre-chilling treatment for 21 days was the most successful physical treatment, with a germination percentage of 36.66 % and a mean germination time of 17.45 ± 1.34 days. The germination percentage improved with increasing GA₃ concentration up to 150 ppm, beyond which a decline in trend was seen. These findings suggest that understanding the seed germination ecology of S. rosmarinus is crucial for developing seed germination protocols that can enhance mass multiplication with a shorter germination period, ultimately increasing the species' regeneration capability and preserving its variety in nature. This practical and economical approach can help to achieve consistent germination and seedling emergence in nursery raising as well.

This study investigates the combined effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) and hermetic storage on the quality of Apiaceae spices intended for consumption after long-term storage. Anise, fennel, caraway, and cumin seeds were exposed to UV radiation for 0 (control) and 25 min of UV-C. Subsequently, the seeds were packed into jute and multilayers of polyethylene hermetic bags (120, 150, and 160 $\mu m$ with an antifungal coating) and stored in a naturally aerated storage room for 12 months. During the storage period, the ambient conditions ranged from 17.2 °C to 30.5 °C and from 59.3 % to 62.8 % RH. While the jute bags maintained the ambient conditions, the hermetic bags had significantly (P< 0.05) decreased temperature and relative humidity, depending on the packaging type and UV-C treatment. The seed moisture content increased significantly (P< 0.05) during storage. The increase percentage reached (20.5–24 %) in jute bags containing untreated seeds, whereas the 150 $\mu m$ and antifungal bags containing UV-treated seeds had the lowest increase percentage (0.3–4.0 %). By the end of the storage period, the hermetic bags containing fennel-treated seeds had the highest significant (CO₂/O₂) ratio of 163.8. UV-C efficiently suppressed microorganisms and insect infestation, particularly in seeds stored in the 150 $\mu m$ and antifungal bags. After 6 months of storage, the jute bags had 465–578 insects/kg. The results show that hermetic conditions maintained the phenolic content and antioxidants of Apiaceae spices, particularly with UV-treated seed. Based on the findings, pretreating Apiaceae seeds with UV-C sterilization is recommended prior to storage in hermetic bags. This approach is expected to accelerate the start of optimal hermetic conditions, thereby enhancing seed quality.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a valuable spice crop with medicinal properties belonging to the Apiaceae family. While farmers often favor the cultivation of cumin, low seed yield, particularly under drought stress, poses challenges to its commercial production. Due to cumin small flowers, self-incompatibility, and cross-pollination attributes, the production of synthetic varieties through polycross breeding can be an effective method for improving seed performance and enhancing drought tolerance in cumin. This study, for the first time, investigates the breeding progress of cumin in three populations over two generations. The first generation resulting from polycross breeding (SYN2 population), along with parental genotypes, was evaluated for agro-morphological traits under normal and low-water irrigation conditions in two locations and compared with the SYN1 population. Additionally, genetic diversity among parental genotypes, SYN1, and SYN2 populations was examined using Start Codon Targeted Polymorphism (SCoT) markers. Low water stress negatively affected all studied traits, except for essential oil content. Improved seed yield, increased drought tolerance, and higher cuminaldehyde content were observed in the SYN2 population compared to parental genotypes. Estimation of genetic parameters indicated a higher heritability and heterosis for traits in the SYN1 population compared to SYN2. Furthermore, trait heritability in the SYN2 population was higher under normal irrigation condition than under water stress. The highest narrow-sense heritability in both SYN1 and SYN2 populations was associated with the thousand-seed weight. Positive and significant phenotypic and genotypic correlations between thousand-seed weight and seed yield were observed in the SYN1 population, while the SYN2 population exhibited the least negative impact of drought stress on this trait. Grouping populations through cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis based on both molecular and agro-morphological data showed complete concordance, effectively distinguishing cumin populations from one another. The SCoT molecular marker confirmed the homogeneity of the improved populations, demonstrating high efficiency in assessing intra- and inter-population diversity. Molecular variance analysis revealed lower within-population diversity (29 %) compared to between-population diversity (71 %). Among populations, SYN1, equivalent to F2 generation, exhibited the highest level of molecular diversity based on diversity indices.

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.

Root knot nematodes (RKNs) are highly destructive pests that pose a negative impact on the growth of Panax notoginseng and also affect its quality. P. notoginseng is widely known for its medicinal properties regarded to ginsenosides which are chemically triterpene saponins. However, the effect of RKNs infection on the saponin content in the roots and the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of their synthesis are not well understood. Our study aimed to assess the impact on saponin content and investigate the expression pattern of key genes related to saponin synthesis in RKN-infected P. notoginseng. Our results highlight that RKNs infection significantly affected the content of notoginseng R1 in the main root, with a major impact on the levels of ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 in lateral roots. Furthermore, the expression of saponin synthesis key genes in RKN-infected P. notoginseng varied as compared with the healthy plant. Specifically, various genes including HMGS2, DS1, and DS2, were up-regulated in response to RKNs infection of grade I and II. In contrast, except for DXS5, various genes were down-regulated when the infection degree of RKNs reached grade II and III. In addition, our study highlights the strong correlation between transcription factor families and triterpenoid saponin synthesis genes, such as AP2/ERF-ERF, bHLH, WRKY, GRAS and MYB. It was found that the expression pattern of the PnMYB61 transcription factor closely reflected that of squalene epoxidase (SE2), a key gene that controls the biosynthesis of 2,3-oxidosqualene, following RKNs infection. Molecular docking analysis also suggested that PnMYB61 may play a crucial regulatory role in expression of SE2 protein. Overall, our findings contribute to the quality evaluation of RKN-infected P. notoginseng roots and provide valuable insights into the identification of key regulators involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis.

Mentha is a cosmopolitan genus of medicinal and aromatic plants, which is characterised by the essential oils in its leaves and its therapeutic and aromatic qualities. Mint species are usually cultivated as a perennial crop and therefore susceptible for various pests and diseases. Root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne are one of the pathogens that can reproduce on mint and cause plant growth reduction. To better understand the pathogenicity of Meloidogyne on mint we studied whether an increasing number of Meloidogyne affects plant growth and essential oil content in the leaves. For our greenhouse experiments, we selected peppermint (Mentha x piperita ˈMultimenthaˈ) as the major mint variety cultivated in Central Europe and the root-knot nematode M. hapla that can pose a major threat in temporal regions. In addition, we evaluated the pathogenicity and reproduction of M. chitwoodi, M. fallax and M. incognita on peppermint and other commonly grown mint varieties in Central Europe, i.e. Mentha x piperita ˈFränkische Blaueˈ, apple mint (M. rotundifolia) and spearmint (M. spicata). None of the studied root-knot nematode species had a negative impact on plant growth of peppermint ˈMultimenthaˈ. However, high densities of M. hapla caused a reduction in the essential oil content. In conclusion, peppermint ˈMultimenthaˈ turned out to be a good host for M. hapla, but a non-host for M. chitwoodi, M. fallax and M. incognita. Plant growth of all four mint varieties was not affected by M. hapla infestation. In addition, peppermint ˈMultimenthaˈ and spearmint were more susceptible to M. hapla than apple mint and peppermint ˈFränkische Blaueˈ.

Anethum graveolens L., an aromatic plant grown during winter season belongs to the family Apiaceae. The leaves and seeds of the plants are widely consumed in India. The seeds of the plants are rich in aroma, due to the richness of essential oils whereas the leaves hold immense potential due to their antioxidant and heavy metal stress alleviation properties. However, the genetic diversity of A. graveolens from North Western Himalayan has not been explored so far. Therefore, the genetic diversity of A. graveolens was investigated using 33 random amplified polymorphic (RAPD) and 27 inter sequence specific region (ISSR) markers. Out of the 33 random primers, only 4 RAPD markers resulted in PCR amplification whereas 18 ISSR markers resulted in reproducible PCR amplification. Out of these ISSR markers, 11 markers accounted for 75–100 % of the polymorphism across all the accessions. Additionally, protein profiling was also used to investigate the diversity of A. graveolens landraces. Overall, the cluster analysis using Neighbor joining (N-J) and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) method followed by principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the accessions of A. graveolens irrespective to their geographic distribution shared the common group. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the local landraces was also investigated based on the free radical scavenging potential using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The present current study on exploration of A. graveolens diversity can be helpful in developing conservation strategies of its local germplasm prevalent in North Western Himalayan region.

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is a valuable plant for medical and pharmaceutical uses. The plant reproduces through seeds; however, the seeds become dormant, resulting in low germination rates. The industrial demand for this plant is expanding, making sustainable propagation a major challenge. The present study aims to evaluate different techniques for breaking the dormancy of R. tomentosa seeds. A randomized design was used to evaluate different techniques for breaking the dormancy of R. tomentosa seeds, including de-operculum, chemical scarifications, and exogenous gibberellic acid (GA₃), in both laboratory conditions at ambient temperature (25 ± 2 °C) and field conditions. The characteristics of R. tomentosa fruit and seeds were assessed. The average mass, width, and length of fruits were 1.90 g, 13.78 g, and 15.27 g, respectively. The average seed/ripe fruit contained 57 seeds, and the mass of 1000 seeds was 2.64 g. Seed viability (100 %) was achieved in the treatment with 0.075 % tetrazolium at 45 °C for 3 h, but a germinated seed was only 13.00 %. The study of breaking seed dormancy in laboratory conditions revealed that de-operculum significantly enhanced seed germination up to 83.00 % within 15 days, compared with control treatment of 13.00 % within 34 days (p ≤ 0.01). In contrast, 10 % KNO₃ for 24 h under field conditions resulted in the highest seed germination rate of 91.00 % within 34 days, while de-operculum treatment showed 63.00 % of seed germination within 15 days. In addition, the seed water imbibition rate between control and de-operculum seeds was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the control seeds absorbed water more slowly than the de-operculum seeds, indicating that de-operculum promoted faster germination. The findings concluded that breaking seed dormancy is important for R. tomentosa seed germination. De-operculum and KNO₃ were discovered to be effective ways of breaking seed dormancy in R. tomentosa.

To undertake scientifically appropriate management and conservation practices, understanding the reproductive biology of endemic and threatened species is critical. Dactylorhiza hatagirea is an important medicinal plant whose reproductive strategies and adaptive evolution mechanisms are still not fully clear. The present study was conducted in the North-western Himalaya of India to understand the reproductive biology, breeding system and pollination ecology of D. hatagirea; an endemic and critically endangered orchid. It is a perennial herb that grows along the altitudinal gradients of 2100–3107 m.a.s.l. and overcomes harsh winters through underground perrenating tubers. The flowering commences from May to July and the flowers are completely zygomorphic with male and female reproductive organs fused to constitute gynostemium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) show significant statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the floral traits for most of the characters. Each flower bears two dark green colored pollinaria with an average of 212.14 ± 14.4 pollinia. Pollen occur as tetrads and polyads in massulae and their viability was greater than 95 ± 4.2 %. Stigma receptivity was confirmed on the day of anthesis and reaches its peak on 5–6th day. Cruden outcrossing index (5), asynchronous anthesis, conspicuous inflorescences, nectaries, presence of rostellum and herkogamy points towards outcrossing nature while pollen ovule ratio (1.27 ± 0.4) and the greater value of self-incompatibility (0.9) reflect that plants are potent cross-breeders. Pollination treatments significantly impacted seed set in D. hatagirea (one-way ANOVA; F = 23.14; p = 0.001) with an average seed set of 92.75 % ± 0.95 for manual xenogamy (p < 0.01), 89.5 % ± 2.38 for geitonogamy (p < 0.01) and 17 % ± 2.2 for bagged inflorescences (p<0.05). Pollination syndrome is exclusively entomophilly. Insignificant difference was reported in the timining for the insect visitation to flowers (calculated value = 3.4; critical value = 5.1; p < 0.01), however different environmental factors created a significant impact on the frequency of insect visitation (calculated value = 9.7; critical value = 4.3; p < 0.01). Apis cerana, Apis mellifera and Bombus asiaticus show highest pollination indices (p < 0.01) and were characterized as dominant pollinators. This study provides a detailed explanation and substantial understanding regarding operative reproductive mechanism of this threatened medicinal plant and can be used by conservation biologists to develop holistic and effective conservation strategies and address the unique challenges that this threatened species face in the wild.