Salinity is one of the most important ecological stresses which reduces productivity. Humic acid as an organic acid and ascorbate as a strong antioxidant can be effective in improving plant yield under salinity stress. In this study, to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid and humic acid on the amount and chemical constituents of essential oil (Dracocephalum moldavica L. ) under salinity stress, a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted at research greenhouse of faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Treatments included salinity at four levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM), humic acid and ascorbic acid at three levels (0, 100 and 200 mg / l). The aerial parts of plant in blooming were collected and were extracted by steam distillation method using Clevenger apparatus and its components were separated and identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The essential oil content decreased with increasing salinity stress and application of salt stress moderators (ascorbic acid and humic acid) improved this trait. So that at 150 mM salinityit reached to the lowest level (0. 2%) and application of 200 mg / l humic acid increased 51. 61% of essential oil compared to control. Most of the essential oil constituents in control treatment (no use of moderators and no salinity conditions) were geranial (36. 65%), NERAL (31. 94%), geraniol (15. 56%), geranyl acetate (0. 66), Trans-4, 2-heptadienal (1/25%), linalool (1. 09%), pulegone (0. 95%) and verbenol (0. 4%) which included 99. 5% of the essential oil components respectively by 36. 65, 31. 94, 15. 56, 11. 66, 1. 25, 1. 09, 0. 95 and 0. 4 percent. In different levels of salinity stress with 100 mg/l of humic acid treatment and application of salt stress moderators (100 and 200 mg/l ascorbic acid and 200 mg/l of humic acid) a large number of combinations was observed compared to control treatment. These includedalpha-pinene, beta-pinene, camphene, camphor, alpha-thujone, nerol and thymol.

Introduction: Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora H. B. k. ) is a valuable medicinal plant because of the essential oils, such as NERAL and garanial, which are used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and sanitary industries. In different industries, using essential oil of medicinal plants depends on the chemical composition, which is influenced by environmental factors, harvest time and farming methods. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of urea fertilizer and several iron fertilizers on yield and quality of lemon verbena at Fathabad garden of Kerman in 2017. The plants were planted based on factorial experiment in format of a randomized complete block design with three replications. Different levels of urea fertilizer (0, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1) and different sources of iron fertilizers included non-use, iron sulfate, nano iron chelate and ortho-chelate iron, were considered in four levels. The measured traits included plant height, fresh and dry weight of leaf per plant, number of branch, chlorophyll content and essential oil quantity and quality. Essential oil extraction was carried out using water distillation method using Clevenger's apparatus and identification of essential oil compounds was performed by gas chromatography– mass spectrometry (GC/MAS). The data were subjected to variance analysis using SAS software and means comparison were done with LSD at 5% level. Results and Discussion: The results showed that different levels of urea and various iron sources had significant effect on all traits. Treatment with 150 kg ha-1 urea had the highest effect on measured traits compared to control. Among the types of iron sources, ortho-chelate iron had highest effect on quantity and quality compared to other iron sources and control. GeNERALly, 150 kg ha-1 urea in combination with ortho-chelate iron produced the highest quantitative and qualitative yield. The same trend was observed in chlorophyll (35 mg/ml) and oil content (1. 3%). In this study, a significant positive correlation was observed between chlorophyll content of leaves with vegetative traits and essential oil, which confirmed the positive effect of chlorophyll content on measured traits. Evaluation of quality of the leaves, 20 chemical compositions were detected in essential oils that were more than 85 percent of the total components. The NERAL and geranial were the predominant compounds in essential oils and the lowest levels of these compounds were observed in control (33. 8%) and the highest levels were observed in the combination of 150 kg ha-1 urea with nano iron chelate (44. 9%). The essential oils are terpenoid compositions that their constructive units need to NADPH and ATP, thus the presence of nitrogen is essential for the formation of these compounds. Moreover, iron acts as a cofactor for NADPH and ATP activity in nitrogen metabolism. Therefore, the increase in nitrogen and iron absorption by the plant has increased the content of essential oil. Due to the fact that geranial and NERAL are the most important compounds used in the essential oil of lemon verbena in various industries, especially pharmaceutical industry. The results of this experiment can be used to increase the quantity and quality of lemon verbena. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that different levels of urea and various iron sources had a significant effects on all traits. GeNERALly, 150 kg ha-1 urea in combination with ortho-chelate iron produced the highest quantitative and qualitative yield. A significant positive correlation was observed between chlorophyll content of leaves with vegetative traits and essential oil. Twenty chemical compositions were detected in essential oils that the NERAL and geranial were the most predominant compounds.

Background and objectives: Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora H. B. K. ) from Verbenaceae family, as an aromatic and medicinal plant, has attracted interests for its valuable essential oil (EO). This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of various temperatures on phytochemical, biochemical, and allometric traits of lemon verbena leaves. Methods: The experiment was designed on the basis of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with treatments of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 ° C, and three replications. Results: The results showed that the EO content, main components, and chemical classes, except for oxygenated sesquiterpenes were enhanced by increasing the temperature from 5 to 25 ° C, while pigments, total soluble solid, proline, and soluble proteins were conversely decreased by increasing temperature. The highest fraction of variance among these variables was observed in the NERAL, EO, polyphenols and anthocyanins, respectively. According to cluster analysis (CA), the effect of temperature on the content of EO, main components, and chemical classes were classified into three groups (A: 5 and 10 ° C, B: 15 and 20 ° C, and C: 25 ° C). Also, dendrogram cluster analysis showed three temperature groups (A: 5 ° C, B: 10 ° C, and C: 15-25 ° C) on the basis of biochemical traits. Conclusion: The present study showed that the content of oxygenated sesquiterpenes and antioxidant pigments in contrast to the amount of EO were severely increased by decreasing the environmental temperature. These results clarify the quality and economic value of this plant at the time of harvesting and environmental conditions for the pharmaceuticals, health, and food industries.

Background: Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae), is a tropical plant with knotted rhizomes. Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of using miNERAL and biological fertilizers based on algae on the quantitative and qualitative traits of the ginger plant and to choose the best cultivation medium. Methods: The experimental treatments included cultivation media in four levels and fertilizers in three levels. Hydrodistilled essential oil of the Z. officinale was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Results: The largest amount of biological yield and yield per hectare was observed in the cultivation medium of vermicompost: perlite (70: 30) without fertilizers. The maximum harvest index with an average of 0. 9 was estimated in the cultivation media of manure: soil (70: 30) combined with biofertilizer, vermicompost: perlite (70: 30) combined with biofertilizer, and manure: perlite (70: 30) combined with biofertilizer, respectively. The cultivation medium of animal manure: perlite (70: 30) combined with NPK chemical fertilizer produced the largest amount of essential oil. The highest proportion of geranial was observed in the cultivation medium of vermicompost: perlite (70: 30) combined with biofertilizer. The highest percentage of α,-zingiberene was observed in the cultivation medium of vermicompost: perlite (70: 30) combined with NPK chemical fertilizer. The highest percentage of NERAL was obtained in the main treatments of animal manure: soil (70: 30) combined with biofertilizer. Conclusion: The use of chemical and biological fertilizers combined with organic cultivation media was fruitful and productive to meet the nutritional needs for the production of effective substances in ginger.

Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) is a medicinal plant, belonging to Verbenaceae family and essential oil has accumulated in its vegetative and reproductive parts. This study was to evaluate the quantity and quality of seed essential oil of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora). After preparing healthy cuttings and treatment of them for IBA, root cuttings were transferred to the greenhouse for culture and care. After flowering and fruit ripening, seeds were collected and the seed essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation method (30 grams of seed) and was dehydrated using dry sodium sulfate. The essential oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Results showed oil output in operation was 31%. Twelve major compositions containing 80.12% of the total oil were identified. The main compounds of this essential oil were Geranial (34.1%), NERAL (26.01%) and Limonene (7.04%). The amount of these compounds had increased so significant in comparison with these values in essential oil from vegetative parts.

Lippia citriodora (syn. Aloysia triphylla), a small tree known as lemon verbena, is used medicinally for its stomachic, diuretic and antispasmodic properties. Plant material was collected from National Botanical Garden of Iran, on 29 September 1998. The essential oils obtained by steam distillation from fresh leaves (0.57%) and flower (0.21%), was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main components of the leaf oil were 1, 8-cineole+ limonene (29.6%), geranial (11.0%), NERAL (7.2%), b-guaiene (6.0%), spathulenol (5.0 %) and caryophyllene oxide (4.0%), and the main components of the flower oil were 1,8-cineole+ limonene (14.2%), geranial (8.6%), b-guaiene (7.4%), NERAL (6.6 %), caryophyllene oxide (5.6 %), spathulenol (4.5 %) and neryl acetate (3.0%).

Sustainable agriculture can increase the efficiency of resource utilization, provide longer productivity and create a balance in the environment. A field experiment was conducted to study the use of organic and chemical fertilizers on biomass, essential oil content and essential oil yield as well as chemical compositions of Dracocephalum polychaetum Burnm in the first and second cutting. The treatments were: broiler litter (1700 kg ha-1), cow manure (2500 kg ha-1), sheep manure (1700 kg ha-1), chemical fertilizer (110 kg ha-1) and control (no fertilizer) in three replications. The results showed that D. polychaetum was most responsive to application of broiler litter as compared with the other treatments. Gas chromatography– mass spectrometry analysis indicated that NERAL, geranial, geranyl acetate and α-pinene were the major chemical compounds of D. polychaetum in the both cuttings. In the first cutting the plants treated with sheep manure had the highest NERAL content (28. 24%). The highest geranial content (26. 85%) in the first cutting was recorded in plants amended with chemical fertilizer, without significant difference with broiler litter (26. 36%). In the first cutting the greatest α-pinene (15. 52%) content was observed in the control treatment without significant difference with broiler litter (15. 09%). Unlike the first cutting, plant amended with cow manure had the maximum NERAL (23. 89%) and geranial (29. 27%) contents in the second cutting. The present study demonstrated that the application of organic manure improved essential oil content and quality and aroma profile of D. polychaetum.

Growth regulators play a crucial role during plant growth and development and utilizing of them can a possible approach to improving plants economic yield. In this research, the effects of two elicitors [salicylic acid (SA) and indole acetic acid (IAA)] on the accumulation of essential oils in the shoot cultures of Mentha piperita L. and Melissa officinalis L. were studied. This research was conducted in pot expriment in randomized complete design in factoriel layout with 4 repeatitions in 2016. The following treatments were applied after the plants had 6 and 8 leaves: IAA (0, 1, 1. 5, 2 mg/l), SA (0, 1, 10, 20 mM). Harvesting was done in 3 weeks after of second foliar application in time of plants had 16-22 leaves. Twenty-eight (28) essential oils in Mentha piperita L. were obtained and the most notable (more than 70%) were: menthol, menton and izomenton. Twenty-three (23) essential oils in Melissa officinalis L. were obtained and the greatest notable (more than 65%) were: geranial, NERAL and menthol and in Mentha piperita L. Results indicated mixed treatment of salicylic acid (10 mM) and indol acetic acid (1. 5 mg/l) was the best treat on essential oil content and composition. It seems that the positive effects of hormones increased yield and then increased essential oil content and composition.

Background: Pre-drying operations and drying methods have a significant effect on the quantity and quality of plants essential oils. Objective: In this study, the effect of pre-drying operation and vacuum oven-drying was investigated on the essential oil content and composition of Lippia citriodora. Method: This research was conducted as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The two studied factors were (1) pre-drying operations in two levels including pre-drying and without pre-drying operation, and also (2) drying methods in 5 levels including fresh plant, shade drying and vacuum oven-drying at 35, 45 and 55° C at 0. 5 bar atmospheric pressure. In this study, the amount of pigments and essential oil content and composition were measured. Results: The results indicated that the highest chlorophyll content was related to treatment of vacuum oven-drying at 55 ° C with a pre-drying treatment, while the highest amount of essential oil was obtained by vacuum oven-drying at 45 ° C without a pre-drying operation. The highest amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and geranial were obtained by drying at 55 ° C, while the highest content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated sesquiterpenes and NERAL were observed in Low-temperature drying. Conclusion: In geNERAL, this study indicated that vacuum oven-drying at 45 ° C was the best drying method for obtaining maximum content of essential oil and active components.