[Effect of different concentrations of chitosan biostimulant on biochemical and morphophysiological traits of stevia plant [Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni]]

Introduction: Chitosan is one of the polysaccharides containing nitrogen which is synthesized naturally by deacetylation reaction of chitin and is confirmed as one of the efficient biostimulants for improvement of secondary metabolites production in medicinal plants

Objective: to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of chitosan biostimulant on vegetative biomass traits and secondary metabolites of Stevia plant

Methods: the experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in greenhouse conditions. The treatments were spraying of chitosan in four levels [0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 percent] and control treatment [spraying with distilled water]

Results: in this study, the obtained results of variance analysis showed that spraying of chitosan had significant effect on leaf dry weight, shoot dry weight, leaf length [P <0.05], phenols and rebaudiosides A [P <0.01]. In this experiment, the highest fresh and dry weight of stems, leaves and shoots were observed at 0.1% Chitosan in a way that by increasing the chitosan concentration from 0.1 to 0.2 % the decreasing trend occurred. The highest amount of phenol was recorded at 0.1% concentration. Also, chitosan at 0.2% concentration had the maximum impact on rebaudiosides A

Conclusion: Chitosan spraying improved vegetative biomass traits and biochemical parameters such as rebaudiosides A in stevia plant

[Determination of yield components of trigonelline in fenugreek [trigonella foenum-graceum L.] seed based on path analysis and regression]

Trigonelline in fenugreek seed is a valuable medicinal metabolite in reducing blood cholesterol and blood. Determine the most important components of seed yield, percent and yield of seed trigonelline in fenugreek under foliar application and non-application of methanol. The experiment was done a randomized complete block design with two treatments as foliar application of methanol [0 and 30 v/v%] and four replications. Path analysis and stepwise regression were used in order to denote the most important effective traits on seed yield, percent and yield of seed trigonelline in fenugreek. The results showed that 1000-seeds weight and number of branches per plant for seed yield; total dry weight and number of pods per plant for percent of seed trigonelline; seed yield and percent of seed trigonelline for yield of seed trigonelline in the non-application of methanol, and also, the number of seeds per pod, percent of seed oil, number of pods per plant and plant height for seed yield; leaf dry weight, shoot trigonelline and geometric mean diameter of seed for percent of seed trigonelline and seed yield; percent of seed trigonelline and pod length for yield of seed trigonelline in foliar application of methanol [30 v/v%] treatment significantly justified changes related to the dependent variables. Path analysis of dependent variables showed that the yield of seed trigonelline by direct positive effect of seed yield and the percent of seed trigonelline were the most important yield components of seed trigonelline. Generally, the results indicate that seed yield and percent of seed trigonelline can be used for increasing of yield of seed trigonelline in the breeding of fenugreek

Physico-chemical properties of seeds in valuable medicinal species of the genus salvia l.

The seeds of some medicinal plants and their compounds have long been valued for their numerous health benefits. To investigate some physical and chemical properties of Salvia spp. Some physico-chemical properties in five species of Salvia seeds [consisted of S. officinalis L., S. macrosiphon L., S. hypoleuca L., S. sclarea L. and S. nemorosa L.] were measured at 8.73 +/- 0.09% moisture content [d.b.] in four categories of large, medium, small size and ungraded lots with replication. The largest major diameter [L[1]] value was recorded in S. hypoleuca L. The highest intermediate [L[2]] and minor diameters [L[3]], seed weight, volume, surface area, sphericity, arithmetic, geometric and square mean diameters, equivalent diameter and mucilage content were obtained in S. officinalis L. seeds. Also, the most percentage of oils content was observed in S. sclarea seeds. Maximum kurtosis index was obtained in S. officinalis L. for major and minor diameter, surface area, sphericity, arithmetic, geometric and square mean diameters and equinalant diameter, in S. hypoleuca L. for intermediate diameter and seed volume, and in S. nemorosa L. for seed weight. The highest skewness index was observed in S. hypoleuca L. for minor diameter, seed volume, surface area, arithmetic and square mean diameter and equivalent diameter, in S. nemorosa L. for major diameter and seed weight, in S. officinalis L. for intermediate diameter and sphericity, and in S. sclarea L. for geometric mean diameter. Conclusion: The maximum content of mucilage and oils were found in S. officinalis and S. sclarea, respectively. The mucilage content was significantly correlated to minor diameter and sphericity, while there was not significant correlation between content of seed oils and measured parameters

review on pharmacological, cultivation and biotechnology aspects of milk thistle [Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn]

Milk thistle [Silybum marianum, [L.] Gaertn.] is one of the valuable medicinal plants which used in the treatment of liver disorders. The major active constituents in this plant are flavonolignans, collectively known as silymarin which is a mixture of three isomer silybin, silydianin and silycristin. Its therapeutic properties are due to the presence of silymarin. The seeds contain the highest amount of silymarin, but the other plant parts have less amount of this compound. The silymarin content in fruits depends on milk thistle variety and geographic and climatic condition. In this review, we summarized the accomplished investigations on aspects of medicinal, cultivation, biology and biotechnology of milk thistle

[Determination of seed and oil yield and yield components in two variety of milk thistle [silybum marianum gaetrn.] based on path analysis and regression]

Silybum marianum Gatrn. [Family: Asteraceae] is an annual or biennial plant, native to the Mediterranean area, which has spread in North and South of Iran. The seeds contain high amount of oil [20 - 35%] which exhibits wound-healing, anti-burn, and hepatoprotective properties. Determine the most seed yield components and oil yield in milk thistle. This research was conducted using two genotypes of milk thistle [Ahvaz wild type and Germany] in a randomized complete block design with four replications, to evaluate the most seed yield components and oil yield. Initially, oil and seed yield [dependent variable] separately determined for any variety using stepwise regression analysis. In Ahvas type, seed yield and oil percent for oil yield, and capitulum diameter for seed yield whereas, in Germany type, number of capitulum for seed yield and seed yield for oil yield justified variation related to dependent variable significantly. Regression analysis represented seed yield is affected by capitulum diameter and number, and secondary metabolites of seed [R[2]=98.16] and oil yield is justified by oil percent and seed active constituents and yield [R[2]=99.91]. The path analysis revealed that direct and positive effect number of capitulum [0.49], diameter of main capitulum [0.41] and oil percent [0.1] and direct and negative effect of active ingredient silymarin, are important components of oil yield. In general, this result showed that for increasing of seed and oil yield can be used from capitulum diameter and number and oil percent in medicinal plant breeding of milk thistle

[Quality/quantity changes in oil and morphological traits of medicinal pumpkin [cucurbita pepo L.] under different cultivation practices]

Medical pumpkin is a medicinal plant that has a special place in the pharmaceutical industry, and evaluation of quantitative and qualitative yield is a under different agronomic treatments is necessary. Investigating of quality/quantities yield of oil and morphological traits of Cucurbita pepo. affected of planting date and row arrangement. This study was done as split plot on complete randomized blocks design with 3 replications at Research field of Aburaihan College, University of Tehran in 2010 and 2011 years. Treatments were included 3 main plots of planting dates [20 Apr, 21 May and 21 June] and 3 subplots of row arrangement [1, 1.5 and 2 meter between two rows]. In this study evaluated 1000 seeds weight, seeds number in fruit, seeds weight per fruit, seed yield, seed produce index, oil percentage and oil yield. The year had not significant effect on any traits expect of oil percentage and seeds number in fruit. The interaction of planting date and row arrangement were significant in all quality and quantity traits. Maximum of seed yield, seed oil percent and oil yield were obtained in 1 meter row spacingx21 may treatment and 1.5 meterx21 June treatment. Maximum of unsaturated fatty acids percent and minimum of saturated fatty acids percent were obtained in planting date of June with 1.5 and 2 meter row spacing. According to significant effect of row arrangement and planting date on seed and oil yield of medical pumpkin, quality and quantity growth followed economic yield of this plant could be improved by using appropriate agronomic management