Medicinal Plants
Asma Najarzadeh; Hassan Farahbakhsh; Mehdi Naser Alavi; Rohollah Moradi; Mehdi Naghizadeh
Abstract
Introduction
Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a valuable annual medicinal herb suitable for cultivation in many countries, including Iran. Borage is considered as a native of both Europe and Asia. Several species around the world fall under the denomination of “borage”. The presence of ...
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Introduction
Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a valuable annual medicinal herb suitable for cultivation in many countries, including Iran. Borage is considered as a native of both Europe and Asia. Several species around the world fall under the denomination of “borage”. The presence of the γ-linolenic acid in the seeds of borage makes borage distinctively important mainly for the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical research. γ-Linolenic acid is an omega -6 polyunsaturated fatty acid which cannot be synthesized in the body and hence falls into the category of essential fatty acids (Evesh et al., 2019).
Chemical fertilizer is an indispensable abiotic factor in agricultural production, especially nitrogen fertilizer. However, in order to improve the yield, people fertilize a lot, which not only wastes resources, but also brings a series of serious problems to the environment, such as greenhouse gas emissions, soil fertility degradation and water resources pollution. Therefore, developing new fertilizers, improving crop nutrient utilization efficiency, replacing chemical fertilizers and reducing environmental pollution is an important direction of agricultural sustainable developme (Zhang et al ., 2020).
Biochar is a carbon rich product formed by pyrolysis of agricultural and forestry wastes under limited air availability. It is generally alkaline in nature, with the characteristics of rich carbon content, large specific surface area and strong adsorption. Biochar addition can reduce soil bulk density and increase porosity, pH, water holding capacity and nutrient content. Additionally, the unique physical properties of biochar can also promote the colonization and growth of some specific microorganisms, which may participate in the mineralization of biochar and promote nutrient cycling. Therefore, biochar has been widely used on improving soil quality and increasing crop productivity. Biochar has a positive effect on root structure and nutrient absorption of plant. Several studies have shown biochar can significantly increase the root length, root biomass, root surface area and specific root length. The study also found that biochar significantly increased the number of plant root tips, the most active part of root, and then increased the ability of plants to absorb nutrients from soil (Zhang et al, 2020).
Materials and Methods
In order to evaluate the effect of damask rose waste (DRW), walnut green skin waste (WGW) and cow manure biochars on biochemical, physiological and yield characteristics of European borage, an experiment was carried out based on a completely randomized design at the greenhouse conditions in Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. The experimental treatments contain: without of biochar (control), biochars of cow manure (0.75%, 1.25%, 2.5% and 5% w/w), walnut green skin biochar (WGW) (0.75%, 1.25%, 2.5% and 5% w/w) and damask rose waste biochar (DRW) (0.75, 1.25, 2.5 and 5% w/w). The physicochemical properties of the biochars and soil were analyzed. Five seeds were planted in three-kilogram pots at a depth of 1.5 to 2 cm. The greenhouse was maintained at an average temperature of 25 °C during the day and 20 °C at night, with a relative humidity level of 60%. Upon concluding the experiment, various biochemical, physiological, and functional characteristics of European borage were assessed and measured.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that DRW (60%) and WGW (13%) biochars had the highest and lowest amount of stable organic carbon, respectively. The investigated treatments significantly (p≤ 0.01) affected the biochemical, physiological and performance traits of European borage. Application of DRW and manure biochars caused a significant (p ≤ 0.01) increase in yield and photosynthetic pigments of European borage compared to the control. Applying WGW biochar at the level of 2.5% increased the shoot dry weight of the plant by 119% compared to the control treatment. Application of 1.25% of cow manure biochar also increased the shoot dry weight by 29.7%. WGW biochar applying not only had no positive effect on the growth and yield of the European borage, but also lead the decreasing growth and prevent flower production of borage. The highest CAT activity related to applying 2.5% of DRW biochar and 1.25% of manure biochar. Application of WGW in concentration of 0.75% significantly increased the proline contents. Using biochar improves soil fertility.
Conclusion
In general, applying DRW biochar in concentration of 2.5% and cow manure biochar in concentration of 1.25% were the most suitable treatments.
Nasibeh Pourghasemian; Mehdi Naghizadeh; Rooholla Moradi; Mohammad Salari
Abstract
Introduction: Successful greenhouse and nursery production of plants is largely dependent on the chemical and physical properties of the growing substrate. An ideal potting substrate should be free of weeds and diseases, heavy enough to avoid frequent tipping over and yet light enough to facilitate handling ...
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Introduction: Successful greenhouse and nursery production of plants is largely dependent on the chemical and physical properties of the growing substrate. An ideal potting substrate should be free of weeds and diseases, heavy enough to avoid frequent tipping over and yet light enough to facilitate handling and shipping. The substrate should also be well drained and yet retain sufficient water to reduce the frequency of watering. Other parameters to consider include cost, availability, consistency between batches and stability in the media over time. Greenhouse crops in general, have higher nutrient demands than field grown crops. Therefore, in order to optimize production it is essential to focus on the growing substrate and fertilization. The physical properties of the growing medium are important parameters for successful plant growth, as these are related to the ability to adequately store and supply air and water to plants. Humic acid is a principal component of humic substances, which are the major organic constituents of soil (humus), peat and coal. It is also a major organic constituent of many upland streams, dystrophic lakes, and ocean water. It is produced by biodegradation of dead organic matter. It is not a single acid, but it is a complex mixture of many different acids containing carboxyl and phenolate groups so that the mixture behaves functionally as a dibasic acid or occasionally as a tribasic acid. Humic acids can form complexes with ions that are commonly found in the environment creating humic colloids. Humic and fulvic acids (fulvic acids are humic acids with lower molecular weight and higher oxygen content than other humic acids) are commonly used as a soil supplement in agriculture. Humic Plus contains humic acid, fulvic acid, macro micro nutrients and proprietary constituents essential for plant growth. Organic matter soil amendments have been known by farmers to be beneficial to plant growth for longer than recorded history. However, the chemistry and function of the organic matter have been a subject of controversy since humans began their postulating about it in the 18th century. Selection of the proper media components is critical to the successful production of plants. So, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of humic acid foliar application and various substrate on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of tomato seedling.
Material and Methods: The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Bardsir Faculty of Agriculture , Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in 2015, as a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with five replications. The experimental treatments were substrate in 7 levels (peat, coco-peat, leaf-soil, compost, vermi-compost, manure and clay soil), humic acid in two levels (foliar application and non- foliar application). After preparation of substrates, plastic boxes with 12 cm diameter and 10 cm height were chosen. After extracting gravity water, tomato (cv. Canyon) seeds were sown in pots. Rain irrigation was done daily. Foliar application of humic acid with concentration of 0.001 liter was performed from seedling emergence to transplanting every two days. The germinated seeds was daily counted and number and rate of seed emergence was estimated. Plant height, stem diameter, number of internodes, leaf area, shoot and root dry matter and chlorophyll contents were calculated at transplanting time of seedling.
Results and Discussion: The substrate treatment had a significant effect on rate and percent of germination, plant height, shoot dry matter, leaf area, number of internodes and, chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents. According to the results, the greatest and smallest rate and percent of germination was found in peat and manure treatments, respectively. Also the greatest shoot dry matter (1.17 g), leaf area (125.9 cm plant-1), number of internodes (6.19), plant height (13.51 cm) and chlorophyll a concentration (2.55 µg/ml) were observed for peat substrate. Manure and clay soil substrates showed the smallest of these measurements and carotenoid contents. It seems that physical characteristics of peat was better than other substrates. Plant height, shoot dry matter, leaf area, number of internodes, chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents showed a significant effect by humic acid application. Foliar application of humic acid significantly increased the mentioned traits.
Conclusion: The results illustrated that between substrates in this study, peat was the best for seedling production of tomato. Foliar application of humic acid had a positive effect in improving growth characteristics of tomato seedling.
Sarah Bakhtari; Gholam Reza Khajoei Nejad; Ghasem Mohamadi Nejad; Rooholla Moradi
Abstract
Introduction: Medicinal plants play major roles in human health. . Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an annual plant that commonly cultivated in arid and semiarid regions of Iran. The crop has a wide range of uses including medicinal, cosmetic and food industry. Cumin occupies about 26% of the total area ...
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Introduction: Medicinal plants play major roles in human health. . Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an annual plant that commonly cultivated in arid and semiarid regions of Iran. The crop has a wide range of uses including medicinal, cosmetic and food industry. Cumin occupies about 26% of the total area devoted to medicinal plants in Iran. However, cumin is seriously affected by the Fusarium wilt and blight diseases. The diseases usually increase under warm and wet conditions. It was demonstrated that the peak of the disease incidence is occurring at the flowering stage and irrigation cutoff at this time may be reduced the diseases density.
Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the effects of irrigation cutoff in flowering stage and foliar application of spermidine on some characteristics of various ecotype of cumin, an experiment was conducted in a split-split-plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman at 2014. The experimental treatments were irrigation in two levels (complete irrigation and cutoff the irrigation in flowering stage) assigned to main plots, foliar application of spermidine in three levels (0, 1 and 2 Mm) as a subplot and cumin ecotypes in three levels (Kerman, Khorasan and Esfahan) that was randomized in sub-subplot. Plots size under the trial was 4 m × 3 m so as to get 50 cm inter row spacing in six rows. The ideal density of the crops was considered as 120 plant m-2. As soon as the seeds were sown, irrigation was applied every 10 days. Foliar application of spermidine was done at three stages (after thinning, before flowering stage and in the middle of flowering stage). No herbicides and chemical fertilizers were applied during the expriments.
Results and discussion: In this study the number of branches, umbels per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed yield per plant and hectare, harvest index, essential oil percentage and yield, infected plants and proline contents were assessed. The results showed that irrigation treatment had a significant effect on all the studied traits except number of branches and umbels per plant. The irrigation cutoff at flowering stage caused a significant increase in seeds per umbel, infected plants and seed yield per plant and hectare Whereas harvest index, essential oil percentage and yield and proline contents were higher in irrigation cutoff treatment compared to completely irrigated treatment. The value of decrease in seed yield per hectare as affected by irrigation cutoff was so lower than that per plant; because more infected plants were observed in completely irrigatedtreatment in comparison with cutoff irrigated treatment. Decreasing the value of the seed yield per plant and hectare affected by irrigation cut-off were 58 and 15%, respectively. Proline contents in irrigation cut-off treatment were about two times more than completely irrigatedtreatment. Khorasan and Kerman ecotypes had higher value in comparison with Esfahan in all studied traits.. Seed yield per hectare for Kerman, Khorasan and Esfahan ecotypes were 525, 306 and 525 kg, respectively. The highest essential oil yield (14.92 kg ha-1) was gained in 1 Mm spermidine for Khorasan ecotype and the lowest (6.87 kg ha-1) was observed in 0 Mm spermidine for Esfahan ecotype. There was no significant difference between foliar application levels in terms of the studied traits such as….
Conclusion: Irrigation cutoff at flowering stage caused a significant increase in seeds per umbel, infected plants and seed yield per plant and hectare Whereas harvest index, essential oil percentage and yield and proline contents were higher in irrigation cutoff treatment compared to completely irrigated treatment. Khorasan and Kerman ecotypes achieved higher potential for cultivation in Kerman climate condition compared to Esfahan ecotype.
Rooholla Moradi; Mahdi Nasiri Mahalati; Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Amir Lakzian; Azizollah Nezhadali
Abstract
Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of different organic and biological fertilizers on quantity and quality of essential oil of Fennel an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The experimental treatments were two organic (compost and vermicompost) ...
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Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of different organic and biological fertilizers on quantity and quality of essential oil of Fennel an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The experimental treatments were two organic (compost and vermicompost) and two biological (Pseudomonas putida and Azotobacter chroococcum ) fertilizers, their all twin combinations (Ps. putida + A. chroococcum, Ps. putida + compost, Ps. putida + vermicompost, A. chroococcum + compost, A. chroococcum + vermicompost and compost + vermicompost) and control (without any fertilizer). There were significant differences between different treatments in terms of seed essential oil percentage, essential oil yield; anethole, fenchone, limonene and estragole content in seed essential oil. Results showed that the highest and lowest percentage of essential oil contents were obtained in control (% 2.9) and A. chroococcum + vermicompost (% 2.2) treatments, receptivity. The highest essential oil yield (29.9 l/ha) and anethole content of essential oil (69.7%) and the lowest fenchone (6.14%), limonene (4.84%) and estragole (2.78%) contents of essential oil were obtained in compost + vermicompost treatment. Essential oil yield and percentage of anethole content in essential oil were significantly higher in all organic and biological treatments compare with control. The highest of fenchone, limonene and estragole essential oil content were obtained in control treatment.
Keywords: Foeniculum vulgare, Pseudomonas putida, Azotobacter chroococcum, Compost, Vermicompost, Anethole, Fenchone, Limonene estragole
