A Comparative Study of the Response of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, Mill) Plants from Egypt and China to Spraying with Benzyladenine (BA)

Fennel plant (Foeniculum vulgare, Mill.) is one of most widely used plants in food and medicine. Our study aimed to show the response of fennel plants from Egypt and China planted in Egypt to foliar application of benzyladenine (BA) at various concentrations; control, 50, 100 and 150 ppm. The obtained results indicated that treated fennel plants with BA resulted in a significant increase in the vegetative growth, number of umbels/plant, fruit, yield and oil yield per plant and feddan as well as main components, total phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of essential oils compared to untreated plants. In general, the application of benzyladenine was more effective on Egyptian fennel plants than that of Chinese plants. Egyptian fennel plants gave higher values of growth, fruit yield, oil percentage and oil yield than Chinese plants. However, the major components, TPC and antioxidant activity (DPPH %) had higher values in Chinese essential oil than Egyptian essential oil. The highest values of all studied parameters were obtained by using BA at 100 ppm. GC–MS analysis of the volatile oils showed that the major components were trans-anethole followed by fenshone, ?- pinene and D-limonene, respectively for both essential oils. 100 ppm of BA gave the highest values of trans-anethole content and radical scavenging activities of oils. Therefore, we concluded that spraying fennel plants with 100 ppm BA can be used for obtaining higher vegetative growth, fruit and quantity and quality of oil.

The Effect of Different Extraction Methods (Steam Distillation and Supercritical Fluid Extraction) on Essential Oil Production of Aromatic Tagetes and Sweet Basil

Tagetes minuta L. (Aromatic Tagetes) is an erect and stout summer annual herb. Ocimum basilicum L. (Sweet Basil) is considered a summer aromatic plant. There are several methods for extraction of essential oils i.e. (HD) hydro-distillation, (SD) steam distillation, (SFE) supercritical fluid extraction, and organic solvents. It is now considered the method of extracting essential oil with steam distillation is the commercial method used in many countries that produce essential oils. SFE method consider is the latest extracting essential oils method but the method spread is limited due to the high cost of its establishment. The present study is aimed to compare the two methods SD and SFE to extract the essential oil from sweet basil and aromatic tagetes plants, and its yield on the resulting essential oil yield. SFE method increases oil yield and improves oil quality. SFE method gave a high percentage of the following major’s components for sweet basil oil (linalool (50.22%) and E- Citral (10.44%)) and aromatic tagetes oil ( ?-Ocimene (27.49%) and cis-Tagetone (9.93%)) compared to the steam distillation method.