ABSTRACT
Aims: The cultivation of medicinal plants in intercropping with other species of agricultural use has been an alternative to make production sustainable in family farming. The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth, biomass production, and chemical composition of the essential oil of mint (Mentha x gracilis Sole) in intercropping with fruit species in an agroforestry system. Study Design: The experimental design was randomized blocks with four treatments, mint interplanted with citrus (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), bananas (Musa spp.), blackberries (Morus nigra), or Barbados cherries (Malpighia glabra). Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the agroforestry located in the sector of Olericultura of the Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil, in the period between November 2015 to February 2017. Methodology: We analyzed light intensity, relative chlorophyll index, height, leaf area, biomass accumulation, essential oil content, oil production and chemical composition of mint grown in agroforestry. Results: The highest production of biomass and essential oil were obtained in the intercropping of mint with citrus and Barbados cherries, possibly due to the edaphic climatic conditions, such as greater light intensity, that favored the growth, production, and chemical composition of the mint essential oil. Bananas and blackberries intercropped with mint were not beneficial for the growth and production of essential oils. Conclusion: The intercropping of mint with citrus and Barbados cherries resulted in higher growth, biomass accumulation, and essential oil content and production. The major components of the essential oils were linalool and carvone, with higher percentages in the intercropping of mint with citrus and Barbados cherries. The cultivation of mint by intercropping with fruit species such as citrus and Barbados cherries is an option to diversify the production of medicinal plants, making it sustainable.
ABSTRACT
A demanda mundial por alimentos isentos de agrotóxicos tem impulsionado a pesquisa para a busca de métodos alternativos ao controle de patógenos em plantas. A ativação dos mecanismos de defesa com o uso de indutores vem demonstrando ser uma alternativa viável e promissora. O uso de extratos de plantas medicinais tem demonstrado capacidade para induzir a produção de fitoalexinas, como um mecanismo de defesa em plantas tratadas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o potencial da planta Eugenia uniflora L. (pitangueira) em induzir fitoalexinas em cotilédones de soja (Glycine max). Os derivados de extrato alcoólico, infusão, maceração e decocção, obtidos de folhas de pitangueira, foram usados nas concentrações de 0,1; 1; 10 e 40 por cento, além de óleo essencial. Água foi utilizada como controle e quitosana (1 por cento) como indutor de referência. Os preparados de pitangueira apresentaram capacidade de indução das fitoalexinas gliceolinas em cotilédones de soja, respondendo ao aumento das concentrações dos preparados. O óleo essencial apresentou destacável efeito na indução de fitoalexinas, sendo superior aos demais preparados. Quitosana induziu fitoalexinas em cotilédones de soja e pode ser utilizado em estudos similares como um indutor de referência.
The worldwide demand for food without pesticides has stimulated the research on alternative methods to control pathogens in plants. The activation of defense mechanisms by inductors seems a viable and promising alternative. The use of medicinal plants extracts has demonstrated capacity to induce the production of phytoalexins, as a mechanism of defense in treated plants. The objective of this research was to verify the potential of Eugenia uniflora L. (surinan cherry) to induce phytoalexins in cotyledons of soybean (Glycine max). The derivatives alcoholic extract, infusion, maceration and decoction, obtained of surinan cherry were used in the concentrations of 0.1; 1; 10 and 40 percent, beyond essential oil. Water was used for the control and chitosan (1 percent) as inductor reference. The preparations of surinan cherry presented capacity of induction of the phytoalexins glyceolin in cotyledons of soybean, with the increasing concentration of the preparations. The essential oil presents detachable effect in the induction of phytoalexins in relation to the other preparations. Chitosan induces phytoalexins in cotyledons soybean and can be used in similar studies as a reference inductor.