Organic vs conventional production of peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender; effect on yields and oil composition

Organic production and markets are expanding rapidly. A field study was conducted to compare effects of organic (OS) and conventional (CS) production systems and unfertilized control on peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) productivity and oil profile. In peppermint, both production systems provided greater yields than the yields in the unfertilized control. The application of vermicompost at 20 t/ha increased peppermint fresh biomass and essential oil yields with 20-31% and 24-28%, respectively, compared with the control. However, peppermint herbage and essential oil yields under OS were 7-87% and 13-54%, respectively, lower compared with the respective yields under CS. Overall, peppermint under OS had slightly higher essential oil content compared to the control; however, the oil composition was not significantly different from that in the CS. In lemon balm, fresh herbage yields in the OS were increased by 12-70% relative to the unfertilized control. However, compared with the yields at CS plots, yields in the OS were satisfactory only during the first year. In the second year, fresh herbage yields in the OS were up to 70% lower compared with those from the CS. The production system did not have a significant effect on the lemon balm oil content and composition. In lavender, the OS included two applications of probiotic product on six lavender genotypes. During the first year, CS lavender had 6 to 13% greater essential oil yield compared with the organically grown ones. In the second year, CS grown lavender out yielded OS grown by 9 to 24% in the case of inflorescence and 13 to 24% in the case of essential oil. However, during the third year of the study, the yields of inflorescences from OS stabilized and almost equaled those from CS. Overall, organic production of peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender may result in lower yields in the first 2-3 years, however, the essential oil content and composition may not be affected. Depending on the price premiums for organically produced herbage and essential oil, organically produced peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender may be economically and agronomically viable after the initial couple of years

Organic vs conventional production of peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender; effect on yields and oil composition

Organic production and markets are expanding rapidly. A field study was conducted to compare effects of organic (OS) and conventional (CS) production systems and unfertilized control on peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) productivity and oil profile. In peppermint, both production systems provided greater yields than the yields in the unfertilized control. The application of vermicompost at 20 t/ha increased peppermint fresh biomass and essential oil yields with 20-31% and 24-28%, respectively, compared with the control. However, peppermint herbage and essential oil yields under OS were 7-87% and 13-54%, respectively, lower compared with the respective yields under CS. Overall, peppermint under OS had slightly higher essential oil content compared to the control; however, the oil composition was not significantly different from that in the CS. In lemon balm, fresh herbage yields in the OS were increased by 12-70% relative to the unfertilized control. However, compared with the yields at CS plots, yields in the OS were satisfactory only during the first year. In the second year, fresh herbage yields in the OS were up to 70% lower compared with those from the CS. The production system did not have a significant effect on the lemon balm oil content and composition. In lavender, the OS included two applications of probiotic product on six lavender genotypes. During the first year, CS lavender had 6 to 13% greater essential oil yield compared with the organically grown ones. In the second year, CS grown lavender out yielded OS grown by 9 to 24% in the case of inflorescence and 13 to 24% in the case of essential oil. However, during the third year of the study, the yields of inflorescences from OS stabilized and almost equaled those from CS. Overall, organic production of peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender may result in lower yields in the first 2-3 years, however, the essential oil content and composition may not be affected. Depending on the price premiums for organically produced herbage and essential oil, organically produced peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender may be economically and agronomically viable after the initial couple of years

Chemical Profile and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oils of <i>Helichrysum arenarium</i> (L.) Moench. and <i>Helichrysum italicum</i> (Roth.) G. Don

This study compared the essential oils (EO) composition of Helichrysum arenarium (Bulgarian populations) with that of the cultivated species H. italicum. The EO composition of H. arenarium and H. italicum were analyzed via gas chromatography. In general, 75 components were identified in H. arenarium EO and 79 in H. italicum EO. The predominant constituents in H. arenarium EO were α-pinene (34.64–44.35%) and sabinene (10.63–11.1%), which affirmed the examined population as a new chemical type. Overall, the main EO constituents of H. italicum originating in France, Bosnia and Corsica were neryl acetate (4.04–14.87%) and β-himachalene (9.9–10.99%). However, the EOs profile of H. italicum introduced from the above three countries differed to some extent. D-limonene (5.23%), italicene, α-guaiene and neryl acetate (14.87%) predominated in the H. italicum introduced from France, while α-pinene (13.74%), δ-cadinene (5.51%), α-cadinene (3.3%), β-caryophyllene (3.65%) and α-calacorene (1.63%) predominated in plants introduced from Bosnia. The EOs of the plants introduced from France and Corsica had similar chemical composition and antimicrobiological activity

Aromatic Plants: use and nutraceutical properties

In the last years it has progressively been observed a substantial increase in the use of aromatic herbs and essential oils. Mediterranean area represents a particular environment in which many constraint factors (high light, temperature, drought, salinity, air pollution, etc.) induce a wide range of secondary metabolites in plants. These compounds can be useful utilized by humans for different applications: antibiotics, antimycotic, animal nutrition, cosmetics, food additives, biorepellents, etc. This paper reviews the literature on recent agro-industrial applications of Mediterranean plant species and medicinal plants used for the treatment of infectious diseases. The review includes accounts of extracts, essential oils and other active principles isolated from plants that have been used by folk medicine as antimicrobial agents. The name and part of the studied plants, spectrum of activity, type of active compounds and methods used are discussed and their mechanisms of action as well