Effect of Drought Stress on Essential Oil Composition of Thymus vulgaris L. (Chemotype 1, 8-cineole) from wild populations of Eastern Iberian Peninsula

[EN] 1,8-cineole defines a typical chemotype of Thymus vulgaris L. in Iberian Peninsula. This compound has a wide range of potentially useful bioactive properties. In order to study the influence of drought stress in the essential oil (EO) composition of this chemotype, sixty plants from six wild populations of Eastern Iberian Peninsula were distilled and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The harvest dates (May and August) were selected in such a way that the typical summer drought in Mediterranean climates was the critical factor affecting EO composition. Despite the high intrapopulational variability, significant increases of 1,8-cineole were found after the drought period (21.8%-43.2%, in May, up to 42.6%-68.5% in August). On the other hand, individuals from one of the populations showed different profiles rich in linalool and camphor or sesquiterpenoid compounds, such as a-cadinol.Llorens Molina, JA.; Vacas González, S. (2016). Effect of Drought Stress on Essential Oil Composition of Thymus vulgaris L. (Chemotype 1, 8-cineole) from wild populations of Eastern Iberian Peninsula. Journal of Essential Oil Research. 29(2):145-155. doi:10.1080/10412905.2016.1211561S14515529

Iranian Herbalists, But Not Cooks, Are Better at Naming Odors Than Laypeople

Odor naming is enhanced in communities where communication about odors is a central part of daily life (e.g., wine experts, flavorists, and some hunter-gatherer groups). In this study, we investigated how expert knowledge and daily experience affect the ability to name odors in a group of experts that has not previously been investigated in this context—Iranian herbalists; also called attars—as well as cooks and laypeople. We assessed naming accuracy and consistency for 16 herb and spice odors, collected judgments of odor perception, and evaluated participants' odor meta-awareness. Participants' responses were overall more consistent and accurate for more frequent and familiar odors. Moreover, attars were more accurate than both cooks and laypeople at naming odors, although cooks did not perform significantly better than laypeople. Attars' perceptual ratings of odors and their overall odor meta-awareness suggest they are also more attuned to odors than the other two groups. To conclude, Iranian attars—but not cooks—are better odor namers than laypeople. They also have greater meta-awareness and differential perceptual responses to odors. These findings further highlight the critical role that expertise and type of experience have on olfactory functions

Aplikacja kwasu jasmonowego może złagodzić negatywny wpływ deficytu wody na plonowanie i parametry fizjologiczne bawełny (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Precise and appropriate management of farmland for a cotton crop to reach the highest water use efficiency with a low water supply and an acceptable yield is required in arid- and semiarid regions. This study in Iran aimed to find the most appropriate concentration of jasmonic acid (JA) and the best stage for application to cope with any negative impacts of water deficit stress. A split-plot factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was used in 2 consecutive years (2016–2017). Two irrigation intervals of 10 and 20 days were used, with four concentrations of JA (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg L−1 ) and applications at three crop stages (vegetative, reproductive, and vegetative and reproductive together). The final results showed that the 20-day interval significantly decreased relative water content, the quantity of cotton, cotton yield and its related traits including boll number per plant, the 1,000-seed weight, seed cotton yield, lint yield, and lint percentage. It also increased the content of proline and soluble sugars. The 50-mg L−1 concentration of JA applied at the vegetative-reproductive stages appropriately mitigated the negative effects of water deficit. These results are of practical application for farmers in arid- and semiarid regions with low water supply when irrigating cotton lands in order to reach an acceptable cotton yield.Odpowiednie prowadzenie uprawy bawełny, zapewniające optymalne plonowanie i wykorzystanie wody przez rośliny przy niskim nawadnianiu upraw, jest dużym wyzwaniem w strefach klimatów suchych i półsuchych. Celem badań było zbadanie wpływu różnych stężeń kwasu jasmonowego (JA) stosowanego w różnych fazach rozwoju roślin bawełny na zniwelowanie negatywnych skutków stresu suszy. Przeprowadzono czynnikowy eksperyment w układzie split-plot metodą losowych bloków w trzech powtórzeniach. Doświadczenie zlokalizowane było w prowincji Zarin-Dasht, Iran. Głównym czynnikiem eksperymentalnym były przerwy w nawadnianiu roślin (10- lub 20-dniowe), dodatkowo analizowano rożne stężenia JA (0, 25, 50 i 100 ppm) zastosowane w trzech stadiach rozwojowych bawełny (stadium wegetatywne, generatywne oraz wegetatywno/ generatywne). Wykazano, że 20-dniowe przerwy w nawadnianiu skutkowały istotnym obniżeniem względnej zawartości wody w roślinach, ilości wytworzonych torebek bawełny i redukowały wielkość plonu. Zanotowano spadek liczby torebek/roślina, masy 1000 nasion, liczby nasion, liczby włosków/torebka. Jednocześnie stwierdzono wzrost zawartości proliny i całkowitej puli cukrów rozpuszczalnych w roślinach. Stężenie 50 ppm JA zastosowane w fazie wegetatywno/ generatywnej najefektywniej obniżało negatywne skutki deficytu wody. Otrzymane wyniki mają znaczenie praktyczne i mogą być wykorzystane w suchych i pół-suchych rejonach upraw bawełny dla zwiększenia plonowania przy niskim poziomie nawadniania pól