To investigate the effect of vermicompost, N fertilizer and their integration on growth, biological and essential yields oil and its components in two populations (Varamin and Isfahan), an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the field of Isfahan Medicinal Plants Research Center in 2016. Fertilizer treatments including 100% urea, vermicompost 33.3 and urea 66.6%, vermicompost 66.6 and urea 33.3%, 100% vermicompost and control treatment (without fertilizer) as the first factor and Varamin and Isfahan populations as the second factor were selected. The results showed that the interaction effects of nitrogen fertilizer and populations on all studied traits were significant. In both populations, nitrogen fertilizer improved height, biological and essential oil yields, content of essential oil compounds (d-Carvone and its yield, α-phellandrene and linalool; except p-Cymene and Limonene in Isfahan population). Since in medicinal plants, the quantity (biological yield) and quality (essential oil and d-Carvone; the most important ingredient and the highest amount of essential oil in this experiment), 66.6% vermicompost + 33.3% urea in Varamin population, was the best treatment in the experiment. In addition an in the direction of human health and sustainable agriculture, it is possible to reduce 33% of chemical fertilizers application and pollution; however, in terms of other essential oil contents (α-phellandrene, Linalool and p-Cymene), 100% vermicompost fertilizer treatment was superior in Isfahan population.

Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) is a medicinal plant, belonging to Verbenaceae family and essential oil has accumulated in its vegetative and reproductive parts. This study was to evaluate the quantity and quality of seed essential oil of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora). After preparing healthy cuttings and treatment of them for IBA, root cuttings were transferred to the greenhouse for culture and care. After flowering and fruit ripening, seeds were collected and the seed essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation method (30 grams of seed) and was dehydrated using dry sodium sulfate. The essential oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results showed oil output in operation was 31%. Twelve major compositions containing 80.12% of the total oil were identified. The main compounds of this essential oil were Geranial (34.1%), Neral (26.01%) and Limonene (7.04%). The amount of these compounds had increased so significant in comparison with these values in essential oil from vegetative parts.

There is little information available on morphological and agronomic traits, as well as chemical compositions of Iranian mint landraces. This study was conducted to investigate the morphological, agronomic and oil content characteristics of Iranian mint landraces using twelve landraces, three of which belong to Mentha longifolia, and the remaining, Mentha spicata L, originated from central regions of Iran. Days to 50% and 100% flowering, plant height, number of lateral branches, leaf length, leaf width, herbage yield per plant, number of nodes per main stem, number of nodes per lateral branch, spike length of main stem, number of spikes per plant, height of lateral branches and spike length of lateral branches were recorded and used in this study. The results showed the significant differences among landraces for all tested traits with the exception of the number of nodes per lateral branch. Two accessions, including Mzin3 with 1.9 ml/100g essential oil content, and Mzin6 with 2.1 ml/100g essential oil content, produced the highest essential oil content. Mzin3, with15.9 g/plant herbage dry yield and Mzin6 8.1 g/plant, produced the highest and lowest herbage yield. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were high for the spike length of the main stem (32.3%, 29.7 %), the number of spikes per plant (41.7%, 28.5%), and the essential oil content (38.5%, 34.1%), and was low for days to 50% flowering (11.9%, 10.7 %), days to 100% flowering (9.2%, 6.5%) and number of nodes per main stem (9.7%, 6.9%). Stepwise regression analysis indicated that leaf length justified 53 percent of the total variation and was accounted as the most important component of essential oil content. Cluster analysis divided the landraces into 3 groups, each of which having 5, 3 and 4 clones. The number of nodes per main stem, number of lateral branches, spike width of main stem, leaf width, days to 50% flowering, plant height and nodes per lateral branches were the major sources of diversity among the mint clones. Strong association was observed between leaf length and essential oil content (r = 0.73).Therefore, under tested environmental conditions, leaf length may be used as a morphological criterion for selecting clones with high essential oil content in mint.

I have previously argued that human flourishing partly consists in the ability to exercise essential human capacities, many of which are non-distinctive and shared with other animals. The concept of flourishing is itself species-specific. Thus, the development of essential capacities (human and nonhuman) comprises a large part of the goods that we ought to promote. Problems about the definition of ‘essential’ are discussed, as are related issues about whether there are necessary and sufficient conditions for the correct use of sortal universal terms. The relation of the exercise of essential capacities to basic needs is investigated, and the essential nature of the human capacity for meaningful work, which has been disputed by John White, is defended. Finally, some suggestions are offered about what the proponents of the capabilities approach might derive from that of essential capacities.

Satureja avromanica belongs to Lamiaceae and is a herb growing wild in the rural area of Belbar in Avroman (Kurdistan province), west of Iran. In this research the essential oil content and composition of S. avromanica was studied. The aerial parts of S. avromanica were collected at the stage of full flowering. The essential oils were obtained by hydro distillation method. The oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The yields of essential oils were 1.4% based on the dry weight. Eleven different compounds accounted for 97.3% of the extracted essential oil of S. avromanica. Thymol (83.9%), carvacrol (5.2%), and p-cymene (3.9%) were major components.