Crop productivity and chemical compositions of black cumin essential oil in sole crop and intercropped with soybean under contrasting fertilization

Intercropping systems and the application of organic manures play an important role in increasing of quantity and quality of plant products. In order to evaluate the quantity and quality of black cumin products under contrasting fertilization, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2016. Soybean and black cumin seeds were sown in five planting patterns (sole black cumin, sole soybean and three intercropping ratios of soybean: black cumin (1:2): one row of soybean plus two rows of black cumin, soybean: black cumin (1:1): one row of soybean plus one row of black cumin and soybean: black cumin (2:1): two rows of soybean plus one row of black cumin. All these cropping systems were received organic manure and chemical fertilizer. The results indicated that the highest seed yield (on an average by 86 g m−2) of black cumin was achieved in sole crop of black cumin treated with organic manure. The maximum seed yield of soybean (on an average by 247 g m−2) and land equivalent ratio (1.06) was obtained in two rows of soybean + one row of black cumin under the application of chemical fertilizer. The p-cymene (20.51–62.77%), carvacrol (2.40–25.99%), longifolene (1.11–24.69%) and spathulenol (0.9–14.45%) were major chemical compositions of black cumin. The highest content of p-cymene and carvacrol of black cumin essential oil were recorded in one row of soybean + two rows of black cumin with the application of chemical fertilizer and one row of soybean + one row of black cumin under chemical fertilizer, respectively. The highest longifolene and spathulenol content was observed in one row of soybean + two rows of black cumin treated with organic manure. These major chemical compositions are useful for industrial use (food and pharmaceutical). Therefore, according to different subjects of applying in industries it could be suggested especial treatment with favorite major compounds. © 2018 Elsevier B.V

Seed storage at elevated partial pressure of oxygen, a fast method for analysing seed ageing under dry conditions

Background and Aims Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that are higher than during dry storage used in commercial practice and gene banks. This study aimed to test whether seed ageing under dry conditions can be accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. Methods Dry barley (Hordeum vulgare), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were stored between 2 and 7 weeks in steel tanks under 18 MPa partial pressure of oxygen. Storage under high-pressure nitrogen gas or under ambient air pressure served as controls. The method was compared with storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % relative humidity and long-term storage at the laboratory bench. Germination behaviour, seedling morphology and tocopherol levels were assessed. Key Results The ageing of the dry seeds was indeed accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. The morphological ageing symptoms of the stored seeds resembled those observed after ageing under long-term dry storage conditions. Barley appeared more tolerant of this storage treatment compared with lettuce and soybean. Less-mature harvested cabbage seeds were more sensitive, as was the case for primed compared with non-primed lettuce seeds. Under high-pressure oxygen storage the tocopherol levels of dry seeds decreased, in a linear way with the decline in seed germination, but remained unchanged in seeds deteriorated during storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % RH. Conclusions Seed storage under high-pressure oxygen offers a novel and relatively fast method to study the physiology and biochemistry of seed ageing at different seed moisture levels and temperatures, including those that are representative of the dry storage conditions as used in gene banks and commercial practic