Seasonal Changes in the Plant Growth-Inhibitory Effects of Rosemary Leaves on Lettuce Seedlings

Plant biodiversity has been studied to explore allelopathic species for the sustainable management of weeds to reduce the reliance on synthetic herbicides. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L., syn Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.), was found to have plant growth-inhibitory effects, and carnosic acid was reported as an allelochemical in the plant. In this study, the effects of seasonal variation (2011–2012) on the carnosic acid concentration and phytotoxicity of rosemary leaves from two locations in Tunisia (Fahs and Matmata) were investigated. The carnosic acid concentration in rosemary leaves was determined by HPLC, and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was used as the receptor plant in the phytotoxicity bioassay. The highest carnosic acid concentration was found in rosemary samples collected in June 2011, which also had the highest inhibitory activity. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation (r = −0.529; p < 0.01) was found between the inhibitory activity on lettuce hypocotyl and the carnosic acid concentration in rosemary leaves. Both temperature and elevation had a significant positive correlation with carnosic acid concentration, while rainfall showed a negative correlation. The results showed that the inhibitory effects of rosemary leaf samples collected in summer was highest due to their high carnosic acid concentration. The phytotoxicity of rosemary needs to be studied over time to determine if it varies by season under field conditions.Peer Reviewe

Studies on interference effects of Cyperus rotundus and Cynodon dactylon with horticultural crops

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Medicinal Plants Used in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality, Southern Ghana: An Ethnobotanical Study

Background: The in-depth traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is at risk of extinction due to the dependency on oral transmission, and as such, there is an urgent need to document such knowledge. This study aimed to document indigenous uses of medicinal plants among community members in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality. Methods: Data was collected in 2016 from community members and local herbalists in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality through a semi-structured questionnaire. Statistical tools and ethnobotanical indices, i.e., informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), and use value (UV) were used to analyse the data. Results: One hundred and six medicinal plants belonging to 45 families were reported to cure 68 different human diseases. The most frequently used plant part in this study was the leaves (52%). Decoction (57.5%) and oral administration (58.3%) were the most utilised herbal preparation and administration route respectively. Cleistopholis patens had the highest UV (0.54) with pain &amp; fevers and skin diseases having the highest ICF values (0.88 and 0.85 respectively). Furthermore, new medicinal uses of Hilleria latifolia and ten other species were recorded for the treatment of the traditional local disease, aseram. Conclusions: The current knowledge and uses of medicinal plants are still high in the study area based on the high degree of consensus among informants. This study could allow for the preservation of knowledge and biodiversity of medicinal plants, both of which are threatened with extinction