IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS
Year:2003 | Volume:19 | Issue:3|Papers Count:9

In order to study the effect of plant density and times of weed control, an experiment was conducted in spring 1998 at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, agricultural college, and experimental station. this study had a factorial arrangement with 2 factors based on completely randomized block design with 4 replicates. Factors were: plant density with 3 levels (60,120 and 180 plants/m2) and weed control times with 4 levels (uncontrolled(w0),one time weed control at 3rd week(w1), two times weed control at 3rd, 6th(w2) and three times weed control at 3rd 6th and 9th week(w3). Yield was increased by increasing of plant density which in turns reduced the no. of lateral branches, no. of umbell per plant, no. of seed per umbell, weight of 1000 seed and harvest index. Yield, no. of lateral branches, no. of umbell per plant, no. of seed per umbell, weight of 1000 seed and harvest index were increased by increasing time of weed control. The results of this study indicated that 180 plants/m2 and two times weed control at 3rd, 6th week after emergence resulted the maximum yield in mashhad area.

Centaure behen L. is a member of compositae, distributed in different region of Iran, and used as a medicinal plant. Hydro-distilled volatile oil from the aerial parts of Centaurea behen L. was obtained at yield of 0.5% w/w based on dry weight of the plant. The plant was collected from Tehran province (Bomehen) and the oil was analysed by a combination of GC and GC/MS methods. Twenty-one compounds were identified that constitute 91% of the oil. The main constituents of the essential oil were b-caryophyllene (40.3%), b-sesqiphellandrene (18.4%), and caryophene oxide (9.9%) The structure of a guaianolide and lactones previously reported from this plant by Rustaiyan.

The source of agar is a family of red seaweeds (Rhodophyceae) of which Gracilaria canaliculata and Graci/aria foliffera are examples of commercially important genera. Agar is a strongly gelling seaweed hydrocolloid composed of polysaccharides. The main structure of agar is chemically characterized by the repeating units of D-galactose and 3,6- anhydro- L- galactose with a few variations, as well as by low ester sulphate content.In this investigation two samples of the Gracilaria to be harvested in Qeshm shores in Hormozgane provine (2001) for agar production. With, Ethanol 95% and 75% carbohydrate of Agar extracted. Then solution Extracted centrifuged in 3500 V/min for 10 mint. We used, solution extract for determination of carbohydrate from Antron methods by Spectrophotometry (HITACHI 340) in 625 nm. The total carbohydrate content in Gracilaria canaliculata is 10.79% and Gracilaria foliifera 12.03%.

The genus of Pimpinella presents about 20 species, which are found wild in different regions of Iran. Most of them are annual. Two of the more distributed and prenial of these species is P. eurea and P. tragium. Essential oils were isolated by hydro-distillation from the seeds, flowers, and stems of Pimpinella aurea DC. Individually, that was collected from Fasham (Northwest of Tehran province) and Tochal (North of Tehran province). The yields of seeds, flowers, and stems oils of Fasham sample were 1.97%, 1.54% and 0.44% w/w, and the yields of seeds, flowers, and stems oils of Tochal samples were 1.2%, 0.47% and 0.48% w/w, respectively.The oils were analyzed by GC (9A-Shimadzu) and GC/MS (Varian 3400). Eight and four constituents at seed oil, thirty-two and thirty-four constituents at flower oil and eighteen and twenty constituents at stem oil of Fasham and Tochal samples were identified respectively.In the Fasham samples: Major constituents of the stem plus the leaf oil were: 1,8-Cineol and Limonene (21.4%), Viridiflorol (12.8%), a-Pinene (11.5%) and Kessane (10.5%). Major constituents of the flower oil were: Viridiflorol (32.5%) and b-Bisabolene (29.5%). Major constituents of the seed oil were: b-Bisabolene (50.8%) and Viridiflorol (37.0%). In the Tochal samples: Major constituents of the stem plus the leaf oil were: b-Bisabolene (18.3%), Geranyl acetate (14.7%), Geranyl2-methyl butyrate (9.0%) and Limonene (7.3%). Major constituents of the flower oil were: b-Bisabolene (55.2%) and a-zingiberene (8.7%). Major constituents of the seed oil were: b-Bisabolene (76.5%) and Caryophyllene oxide (21.4%).

The genus of Nepeta presents 67 species in Iran, most of them are endemic. One of these endemic species is N heliotropifolia. In this research the essential oil of N heliotropifolia was investigated in three different stage of plant growth.The aerial parts of N heliotropifolia at before flowering, beginning of flowering and complete flowering were collected from Hamedan province.Essential oils isolated by hydro-distillation from the aerial parts of three samples, were analyzed by a combination of capillary GC and GC/MS. The yields of essential oils were obtained 0.75%, 0.63% and 0.4% (w/w) respectively. So the oil yield of N heliotropifolia was decreased from before flowering stage to complete flowering stage.Thirty-six components were identified in the oils. The main constituent of the essential oil at before flowering stage was limonene (40.1%), that decreased by plant growth. The second main component of the oil in this stage was b-pinene (11.1%) that increased to 23.3% in the beginning of flowering, then decreased in fool flowering. The other main compounds of the oils were 1,8-cineole, b-caryophyllene,(Z)- b-farnesene, g-mmurolene abd bicyclogermacrene.

This experiment was initiated in order to determine the effect of gum extraction, using a side cut on plant lump, on the survival and regeneration of Ferulla gummosa in a split plot design with 3 replication including: 2 main treatments one time and two times gum extraction, and 4 sub treatments including: 1,2,3 times side cut on plant lump and control (treatment without any side cut) in the Shilander, Tarom-e-Olia, a natural site for Ferulla gummosa, located at kilometer 55 from northeastern of Zanjan city. This experimental plan was put into practice in 1995 for a period of7 years. Gum production of main treatments and sub treatments were collected and weighed in 1995 and 1998 years only. And finally the complex averages per shrub unit were compared using Dunkan's test.Obtained results from gum production show that, there is a significant difference between the number of cuts, and the highest production belongs to three times cut. There is no significant difference between main treatments (gum extraction), and since the highest production belong to two times gum extraction so two times can be advised. Comparison of complex average of the interaction effect of main treatment and sub treatment show that there is a significant difference between interaction effect of two times gum extraction along with three times side cut has the highest gum production and interaction effect of one times gum extraction along with one time side cut had the lowest gum production.

In this study anti-microbial properties of aquatic and ethanolic extract of urtica dioica were tested. The antimicrobial properties of aquatic and ethanolic extracts (80%) of this plant were studied on four species of bacteria (Pseudomonas. aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphilococcus aureus, E. coli and a fungus (Candida albicans) using routine methods appling the Muller-Hinton Agar, Sabourou Dextrose Agar and pour plate method, measuring the diameter of inhibitory zone. The Ethanolic extrac t(80%) of plant showed antimicrobial effect on Pseudomonas. a, Bacillus subtilis, Staphilococcus aureus, E. coli, Candida albicans, among them urtica's seed extract had the most effect on gram - positive bacteria, urtica' s leaf had the most effect on gram-negative bacteria and urtica's flower had the most fungicidal property. All the aquatic extracts of plant showed antimicrobial effect on extracts thses microorganisms except Pseudomonas. a

To Investigation of fertilizers, manure and mixture of them on amount and efficiency of nitrogen in agro ecosystem, a field experiment was conducted on fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) in Alborz Research Complex in Karaj/Iran. The treatments included, various levels of chemical fertilizers (NPK), used in commercial agricultural systems, different levels of manure, used in sustainable (organic) systems, as well as a mixture of different ratio of fertilizers and manure, used ill intermediate system, which were in comparison to the control treatment (no fertilizers and manure applied).The experiment was carried out using completely randomized block experiment design with three replication.The results showed that, treatment "20 ton/ha of manure mixed with N=80, P=64 and K=80 kg/ha of chemical fertilizers" of the intermediate systems produced the highest amounts of protein (3.182 percent). The highest of nitrogen efficiency in agro ecosystem was caught in treatment "25 ton/ha of manure mixed with N=60, P=48 and K=60 kg/ha of chemical fertilizers" of the intermediate systems. In the chemical systems, the increase of fertilizers, the nitrogen efficiency reduced considerably.Based on the results, the intermediate systems could be introduced for sustainable agriculture.