Medicinal Plants
Saeideh Mohtashami; Hossein Gholami; Askar Ghani; Mojahed Kamalizadeh
Abstract
Introduction: Optimum nutrition of plants and reducing the effect of lack of important nutrients is one of the most effective factors on the production of all plants; so, it is one of the main pillars in improving the quantitative and qualitative attributes of the product. In order to achieve optimal ...
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Introduction: Optimum nutrition of plants and reducing the effect of lack of important nutrients is one of the most effective factors on the production of all plants; so, it is one of the main pillars in improving the quantitative and qualitative attributes of the product. In order to achieve optimal yield with proper nutrition of the plant, each element must be provided to the plant sufficiently, and there must also be a balance between the absorbable amounts of elements in the soil. Securigera securidaca is one of the medicinal plants belonging to the Fabaceae family. There are many records about the traditional use of this plant and its seeds. Its seeds have antiparasitic, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, antiulcer, analgesic, antioxidant, antiviral, antitumor and hypoglycemic effects have been reviewed. Considering the climatic conditions of Iran and its high potential in the production of medicinal plants and its economic justification,; it is very necessary to pay attention to the nutrition of medicinal plants due to their different growth conditions with other crops and its effect on their growth and effective substances.Materials and methods: In this research, in order to evaluate the response of the Hatchet vetch plant (Securigera securidaca) to different levels of phosphorus and zinc foliar application, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors and three replications. The treatments include four levels of phosphorus (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg/h) and three levels of zinc foliar application during the flowering period (no foliar application as a control, foliar application: each two weeks once and once a week). Zinc foliar spraying was done with a concentration of 4 g per liter during before flowering to the formation of the pods (about one month), which was done twice and four times for the two-weekly and once-a-week treatments, respectively. This research was carried out in Mohammad Abad area of Jahrom city located in Fars province. The most important indicators of growth and yield were measured including: shoot number, length of main stem, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length and seed yield. Also, the most important biochemical characteristics of seed extract (flavon and flavonol, total flavonoid, total phenolic compounds, tannin content and antioxidant activity), oil percentage and seed oil yield were also measured.Results and discussion: Based on the results obtained from the variance analysis of the data, the effect of phosphorus and zinc on all measured traits was significant except for the number of seeds in pods and pod length. The results showed that the application of phosphorus alone was more effective than the combined application of phosphorus and zinc in increasing the number of stems, main stem length, seed yield, oil yield, the amount of flavonoids and antioxidant activity of Hatchet vetch plant seeds. The application of 50 kg of phosphorus increased the number of stems, the length of the main stem, the number of pods per plant, the yield of seeds, amount of phenolic compounds and oil yield of seed. While the use of 100 kg of phosphorus without the use of zinc was more effective in increasing the amount of flavonoid and antioxidant activity. However, the application of zinc was effective in increasing phenolic compounds, tannin content, oil percentage and seed yield. The interaction effect of the treatments showed that the highest seed yield (61.03 g/m2) was related to 50 kg of phosphorus without zinc foliar spraying, while the lowest amount (32.01 g) was observed in 50 kg of phosphorus and zinc solution once a week treatment. The highest amount of total flavonoid (3.58 mg/g dry weight) was found in the treatment of 100 kg of phosphorus without the application of zinc. While the lowest amount (1.11 and 1.24 mg) was observed in treatments without phosphorus (spraying zinc solution once every two weeks and once a week), respectively. In the treatments of 100 and 150 kg of phosphorus, increasing the frequency of zinc foliar spraying has reduced the amount of phenolic compounds in the seeds of this plant. Although this decrease is not significant statistically. Also, in the control, 50 and 150 kg of phosphorus treatments, increasing the frequency of zinc foliar spraying had no effect on the change of its antioxidant activity, while in the treatment of 100 kg of phosphorus fertilizer, increasing the frequency of zinc foliar spraying decreased the antioxidant activity of the seed extract of this plant.Conclusion: In general, according to the conditions in this research, despite the differences that were seen in the measured traits in response to the amounts of phosphorus and zinc, the concentration of 50 kg of phosphorus and foliar spraying of zinc once every two weeks, in most of the traits were satisfactory compared to other treatments.
Medicinal Plants
Mansoureh Fadaei; Vahid Akbarpour; Seyyed Javad Mousavizadeh; Kamran Ghasemi
Abstract
Introduction
Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is a medicinal plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family and the order Cucurbitals. The seeds of this plant are a rich source of essential oils and proteins for the body. It is used in the production of various drugs such as Peponen, Pepostrin, Grunfig and treatment ...
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Introduction
Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is a medicinal plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family and the order Cucurbitals. The seeds of this plant are a rich source of essential oils and proteins for the body. It is used in the production of various drugs such as Peponen, Pepostrin, Grunfig and treatment of prostate swelling, urinary tract inflammation, atherosclerosis, gastrointestinal regulation, etc. Since the components of medicinal plants are low at natural condition, and could be increased by means of different environmental conditions, nutrition or application of elicitors; thus, it is necessary to work on mentioned parameters effects on quantitative and qualitative attributes of medicinal plants. Recent years, many researches have been done based on natural components for increment of yield and secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Ascorbic acid is one of these materials which its effect on plant growth has been validated. In the management of agricultural inputs, especially in the cultivation of medicinal plants, the application of substances that have the least harmful side effects on human health and the environment is recommended. Meanwhile, sucrose and ascorbic acid are healthy substances to improve growth and increase crop yield. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of these two substances on yield, yield components and phytochemical characteristics of pumpkins.
Materials and Methods
Pumpkin seeds were prepared from Pakan Bazr Esfahan by purity of 99%. Then, planted in a farm of 500 m2 at Behshar. After plant growth, spray treatments were conducted at three times as before flowering, onset of flowering and fruit set stages. This experiment was conducted in factorial with sucrose factor at four levels (0, 5, 10, 15 g.l-1) and ascorbic acid factor at four levels (0, 15, 30, 45 mM), based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The studied characteristics included number of leaves and fruits, plant yield, 1000-seed weight, total number of seeds, number of healthy seeds, percentage of healthy seeds, number of blank (deaf) seeds, percentage of blank seeds, total chlorophyll, antioxidant activity, phenol, flavonoids, protein and oil percentage. Statistical analysis of data was performed using SAS statistical software and comparison of mean was performed using the least significant difference (LSD) at the level of 5% probability. Figures were graphed with Excel software.
Results and Discussion
According to this study results, the effect of foliar application of sucrose and ascorbic acid and their interaction on most of the studied traits was significant. Application of 15 g.l-1 sucrose with 15 mM ascorbic acid increased the number of fruits to 1.68 per plant, which showed an increase compared to the control treatment. The highest total number of seeds with an average of 464 seeds per fruit was obtained by applying 5 g.l-1 sucrose with 45 mM ascorbic acid, which compared to the control (247.33) recorded an increase of 87.60%. The highest total chlorophyll content was measured with an average of 2.081 (mg.g-1 fresh weight) using 5 g.l-1 sucrose with 15 mM ascorbic acid, which showed an increase of 1.81% compared to the control treatment (2.044). Also, application of 15 g.l-1 sucrose along with 15 mM ascorbic acid increased protein by 40.03%, which showed an increase of 79.26% compared to the control (22.33). Other results indicate that increasing the amount of seed oil up to 44.50% is available with the application of 15 g.l-1 sucrose with 30 mM ascorbic acid and also with the application of 10 g.l-1 sucrose with 45 mM ascorbic acid; which had an increase of 16.61% compared to the control (38.16). The results of the present study showed that the application of combined ratios of sucrose and ascorbic acid has been effective in improving the quantitative and qualitative attributes of pumpkin, including protein content and percentage of pumpkin seed oil.
Conclusion
Since the treatment of sucrose 10 g.l-1 with 45 mM ascorbic acid significantly affected most of important attributes such as total antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, protein content and high oil content, therefore, this combination of treatment can be applied to increase the quality of pumpkin seeds. However, if only quantity is important, the treatment of sucrose 15 g.l-1 with 15 mM ascorbic acid, which caused the highest number of fruits per plant, the highest yield as well as the highest protein, can be recommended.
Hamed Doulati Baneh; Narjes khatoon Abedi; Tooraj Jadidi
Abstract
Introduction: Before a new vineyard construction, in addition to collecting detailed data on climate, soil and planting area, some other considerations like selection and understanding the principles of quality and quantity in terms of agronomic traits and physiological characteristics of the product ...
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Introduction: Before a new vineyard construction, in addition to collecting detailed data on climate, soil and planting area, some other considerations like selection and understanding the principles of quality and quantity in terms of agronomic traits and physiological characteristics of the product should be made. Among grape varieties grown in anorchard, some self-fertile and male sterile cultivars (female physiological) are present. Without suitable pollinating, varieties in the vineyard, is not accessible for semi-fertile or sterile ones with high quality and quantity and will notbe sufficient.Therefore the identification of sterile varieties, the best pollinizers and fruit growth and phenological stages is essential. Qzlouzum is one of commercial seeded cultivars in West Azerbaijan province whichis suitable for storage and delivering to domestic and foreign markets forout of season because of nice red color and thick skin and late ripening.These favorable properties for sale with high prices is also one of the otherbenefits that have led to the interest of the farmers every year to increase the acreage of the cultivation. Preliminary studies showed that Qzlouzum cultivar is a physiological female and needs cross pollination for fruitset. This study aimed to investigate the complete botanical characteristics, flower sexuality, pollen germination and determine the phenological stages (especially fruit growth stages).
Materials and methods: Based on grape descriptor, morphological characters of 10 vines of Qzlouzum grape cultivar at different stages from bud break to dormancy was studied in Horticultural Research Station in 1390 in Urmia(Kahriz). To calculate the growing degree days (GDD), daily temperature above 10 ° C was obtained from the meteorological station of Agriculture faculty in Kahriz-Urmia. Pollen germination rate was tested in both liquid and solid growth medium. In order to study the changes in a number of qualitative and quantitative traits, TSS (total soluble solids), TA (titrable acidity), pH, berry weight and diameter, seed length and weight from the beginning of the berry formation to harvest time of clusters in 15-day interval were measured.
Results and discussion: The results of this study showed that flowers of Qzlouzum are female with reflexed stamens. The results also determined that none of pollens germinated on both liquid and solid media culture. Based on reflexed stamens and none pollen germination, Qzlouzum grape cultivar proves to be male sterile (physiological substance). This cultivar needs 1483 degree days (above 10°C) from bud break till ripening. The changes in TA and TSS were reversed. Amount of acid reduced and sugar content increased with time and berry development. Veraision period was approximately started 55 days after full bloom. At this stage, which is also known as berry softening, acid concentration is reduced and the amount of sugar was increased. Acid content and pH of the fruit were opposite together and by reducing the amount of acid, the pH levels increased. Several studies have confirmed that after changing the color of the grape varieties,sugar can often increase. Conversely, acid reduction in berries is the first happensbefore color change in berries. The berry weight and size changes were described as Double Sigmoid Curve. In the first phase, berry diameter and weight increased rapidly and lasted 60 days. In the second phase or delay phase, berry weight and diameter changedvery slowly while seed weight reached themaximum in this stage. After this phase, the third phase which was associated began with veraision, sugar content increased and the amount of aciddecreased. At this stage berry reached its maximum size and weight.
Conclusion: Uniform planting of Qzlouzum red grapes is not recommended because of male sterility and suitable pollinizers should be used. Male sterility, without emasculation will be suitable for grape breeding programs. In areas with short growing season, if the total heat has not beensupplied, berries of this cultivar will ripe late and sugar contentand color intensity will decrease and will notproducedesired and marketable product. Phenological stages duration is highlydependent on factors such as cultivar, environment and location. Genetic factor also isparticularly important in determining the time of ripening. Qzlouzum is a late ripening grape cultivar and without sufficient thermal requirements, the ripening process will not occur completely.