Phytochemical variations in Lemon verbena [Lippia citriodora H.B.K.] plantlets affected by propagation methods and soil type

ABSTRACT

Lemon verbena [Lippia citriodora H.B.K.] is an aromatic and medicinal plant of family Verbenaceae, which cultivated in North region of Iran. Evaluation of phytochemical characters in Lippia citriodora H.B.K. plantlets affected by propagation methods [micro-propagation and stem cutting] cultivated in different soil type [peat moss and mixture soil]. This study was done on the base of factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications and four treatments. The treatments were propagation methods [micro-propagation and stem cutting] and soil type [peat moss and mixture soil]. The volatile oil was extracted by hydro-distillation using clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The results indicated that the interaction effects of different soils and plantlets types had significant effect [p<0.05] on all studied parameters. The highest content of essential oil [0.79%], geranial [53.52%], neral [31.82%], limonene [11.29%], leaf dry weight [1.43 g] and SPAD value [20.85] were observed in treatment of MPP [micro-propagation plantlets cultivated in peat moss] and the lowest of that was obtained in treatment of SCM [stem cutting plantlets cultivated in mixture soil]. The peat moss was the best bed in respect of phytochemicals and morpho-physiological traits in both types of in vitro and stem cutting propagation. The highest essential oil content was observed in treatment of micro-propagation cultivated in peat moss