Response of Biomass Development, Essential Oil, and Composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. to Irrigation Frequency and Harvest Time

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of four irrigation intervals (4, 8, 12, and 16 days) and six harvests (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months after transplanting) on biomass, essential oil content, and composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. Fresh weight and essential oil yield decreased with increasing irrigation interval; whereas, essential oil content was stimulated by water stress and increased as the irrigation interval increased. Fresh weight of Plectranthus amboinicus irrigated every 4 days peaked when harvested at 6 months, but essential oil content peaked when irrigated every 16 days and harvested at 2 months after transplantation. On the other hand, essential oil yield peaked when irrigated every 8 days and harvested at 6 months. Thymol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and β-caryophyllene were the major compounds, and they peaked at different irrigation intervals and harvest times. This study showed biomass, essential oil content, and yield as well as the major and minor constituents of Plectranthus amboinicus are influenced by irrigation interval and the timing of harvest.

Plectranthus amboinicus and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oils effects on performance, antioxidant activity, intestinal health, immune response, and plasma biochemistry in broiler chickens

“…In other species, PA extract improved the nonspecific immune response and growth performance in white‐leg shrimp (Huang et al, 2022). This herbal essential oil has the main bioactive compounds of carvacrol (Murthy et al, 2009) and thymol (Sabra et al, 2018), which can be compared with thyme and oregano EOs. Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is another aromatic plant from the Lamiaceae family with the main components including camphor, 1,8‐cineole, and α‐pinene (Sienkiewicz et al, 2013).…”

Essential oil content, yield, and components from the herb, leaf, and stem of curly-leafed parsley at three harvest days

“…The importance of harvest time and its effect on the quantity and quality of essential oil was studied by several researchers including Court et al (1993), andCarvalho Filho et al (2006). Previous studies showed that the time of harvest is an important factor that influences the quantity and quality of essential oil from herbal plants, and that the ideal harvest time varies with the plant and with what was harvested (Mahmoud et al, 2018;Sabra et al, 2018;Said-Al Ahl et al, 2019).…”

Marjoram phytomass at harvest intervals in summer and winter transplants

“…The same was observed by May et al (2008) for lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus Stapf.). However, Sabra et al (2018) reported an increase in the phytomass of Indian borage [Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng.]…”