The influence of different types of mulch on the yield and content of bioactive compounds of immortelle

Adna CURIĆ; Katarina HAFNER-VUK; Teofil GAVRIĆ

doi:10.15835/nbha53314721

Authors

Adna CURIĆ University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo (BA) https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3711-7478
Katarina HAFNER-VUK Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Branilaca Sarajeva 25, 71000, Sarajevo (BA) https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1273-2837
Teofil GAVRIĆ University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo (BA) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2119-0846

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha53314721

Keywords:

antioxidant activity, essential oil, immortelle; mulch, neryl acetate, quality, yield

Abstract

Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum) is a perennial Mediterranean plant known for its medicinal and aromatic properties. Various biotic and abiotic factors influence the yield and quality of immortelle. Mulching is a sustainable agricultural practice that conserves soil moisture, prevents weed growth, and regulates soil temperature. The aim of this research was to examine the influence of different types of mulch on the yield and quality of immortelles. The study had three types of mulch (alfalfa, straw, and perennial mulch) and a control (no mulch). The research mulches significantly affected the yield, essential oil (EO) content and content of bioactive compounds. The highest yield of inflorescences was recorded with alfalfa mulch (67.5 g^-¹), while the control had the lowest yield (37.3 g^-¹). The EO content was highest in treatments with straw and control (0.33 mL 100 g^-1), whereas the lowest content was observed with alfalfa mulch (0.28 mL/100 g). The total phenolic content reached its maximum in the control variant (75.1 mg GAE g¹), while perennial mulch resulted in the highest flavonoid content (20.4 mg CAE g^-¹). A total of 63 constituents were identified in the EO. The largest share was: neryl acetate, α-curcumen, italidione, α-pinene and D-limonene, and others in smaller quantities.

References

Aćimović M, Zeremski T, Šovljanski O, Lončar B, Pezo L, Zheljazkov VD, Pezo M, Šuput D, Kurunci Z (2022). Seasonal variations in essential oil composition of immortelle cultivated in Serbia. Horticulturae 8(12):1183. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8121183

Bahadırlı NP, Yıldırım MU, Sarıhan EO (2024). Diurnal, and seasonal dynamics in essential oil content and composition of cultivated Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 117:104888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2024.104888

Benzie I, Strain J (1996). The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of “Antioxidan power”: The FRAP assay analytical biochemistry. Analytical Biochemistry 239(1):70-76. https://doi.org/10.1006/abio.1996.0292

Clevenger JF (1928). Apparatus for the determination of volatile oil. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 17(4):345-349. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.3080170407

Dănăilă-Guidea SM, Eremia MC, Dinu LD, Miu DM (2022). Helichrysum arenarium: From cultivation to application. Applied Sciences 12(20):10241. https://doi.org/10.3390/app122010241

Egnér H, Riehm H, Domingo WR (1960). Untersuchungen über die chemische Bodenanalyse als Grundlage für die Beurteilung des Nährstoffzustandes der Böden. II. Chemische Extraktionsmethoden zur Phosphor- und Kaliumbestimmung. Kungliga Lantbrukshögskolans Annaler 26:199-215.

El-Beltagi HS, Basit A, Mohamed HI, Ali I, Ullah S, Kamel EAR, … Ghazzawy HS (2022). Mulching as a sustainable water and soil saving practice in agriculture: A review. Agronomy 12(8):1881. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12081881

Erbaş S, Erdoğan Ü, Mutlucan M (2023). The scent compounds of immortelle ecotypes (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don.) grown in Türkiye and its new products (absolute and concrete). South African Journal of Botany 158:301-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2023.05.029

Furlan V, Bren U (2023). Helichrysum italicum: From Extraction, distillation, and encapsulation techniques to beneficial health effects. Foods 12(4):802. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040802

Gadžo D, Đikić M, Jovović Z, Mijić A (2017). Alternativni ratarski usjevi. Poljoprivredno-prehrambeni fakultet Univerziteta u Sarajevu, Sarajevo.

Gavrić T, Gadžo D, Erhatić R, Hafner-Vuk K (2024). The effect of the use of biostimulant on the yield and quality of lavandin and lavender. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 52(4):13967. https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha52413967

Gavrić T, Marković S, Čengić L (2023). Factibility of growing basil as an alternative crop for adaptation to climate change in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Chilean Journal of Agricultural Research 83(1):43-51. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-58392023000100043

Hasanvand RK, Jalal-Abadi AL, Abdali Mashhadi A, Kochekzadeh A, Siyahpoosh A (2023). The effect of different types of mulch and different cultivation methods on the quantitative and qualitative traits of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Ahvaz climate. Journal of Central European Agriculture 24(1):115-125. https://doi.org/10.5513/jcea01/24.1.3499

Hellivan PJ (2009). Immortelle’s Sustainable Resurgence: New research into the chemistry and application of this everlasting natural. Perfumer and Flavorist 34(5):34-40.

Iqbal R, Raza MAS, Valipour M, Saleem MF, Zaheer MS, Ahmad S, … Nazar MA (2020). Potential agricultural and environmental benefits of mulches - A review. Bulletin of the National Research Centre 44(1):75. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-020-00290-3

ISO 10390 (1994). Soil Quality - Determination of pH. International Standard.

ISO 14235 (1998). Soil quality - Determination of organic carbon by sulfochromic oxidation. International Standard.

Jovović Z, Muminović Š, Baričevič D, Stešević D (2016). Tehnologija proizvodnje ljekovitog, aromatičnog i začinskog bilja. Monografija. Podgorica, Crna Gora.

Kunc N, Frlan A, Baričevič D, Kočevar Glavač N, Kokalj Ladan M (2022). Essential oil and hydrosol composition of immortelle (Helichrysum italicum). Plants 11(19):2573. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192573

Majkowska-Gadomska J, Kulczycka A, Dobrowolski A, Mikulewicz E (2017). Yield and nutritional value of basil grown in a greenhouse. Acta Agrophysica 24(3):455-464.

Moghaddam HH, Jafari AA, Sefidkon F, Jari SK (2023). Influence of climatic factors on essential oil content and composition of 20 populations of Nepeta binaludensis Jamzad from Iran. Applied Biological Chemistry 66(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13765-022-00750-6

Mollova S, Fidan H, Antonova D, Bozhilov D, Stanev S, Kostova I, Stoyanova A (2020). Chemical composition and antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G.Don subspecies essential oils. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 44(4):371-378. https://doi.org/10.3906/tar-1909-34

Ninčević T, Grdiša M, Šatović Z, Jug-Dujaković M (2019). Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don: Taxonomy, biological activity, biochemical and genetic diversity. Industrial Crops and Products 138:111487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.111487

Ning R, Liang J, Sun Z, Liu X, Sun W (2021). Preparation and characterization of black biodegradable mulch films from multiple biomass materials. Polymer Degradation and Stability 183:109411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2020.109411

Palada MC, Crossman SMA, Kowalski JA, Collingwood CD (2000). Evaluation of organic and synthetic mulches for basil production under drip irrigation. Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants 6(4):39-48. https://doi.org/10.1300/j044v06n04_05

Šakonjić A, Matijević A, Hamidović S, Čengić L, Gavrić T (2023). Effects of mulching and irrigation on antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). In: Brka M. 32nd Scientific-Expert Conference of Agriculture and Food Industry. Agriconference 2022. Lecture Notes in Bioengineering. Springer, Cham pp 47-55. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47467-5_6

Tisserand R, Young R (2013). Essential oil safety: a guide for health care professionals (2nd ed). Elsevier Health Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/c2009-0-52351-3

Wiens MJ, Entz MH, Martin RC, Hammermeister AM (2006). Agronomic benefits of alfalfa mulch applied to organically managed spring wheat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 86(1):121-131. https://doi.org/10.4141/p05-069

Zengin H, Sabir A (2022). Physiological and growth responses of grapevine rootstocks (Vitis spp.) to organic and synthetic mulch application in arid ecology under the effect of climate change. Journal of Central European Agriculture 23(3):655-664. https://doi.org/10.5513/jcea01/23.3.3557

Zribi W, Aragüés R, Medina E, Faci JM (2015). Efficiency of inorganic and organic mulching materials for soil evaporation control. Soil and Tillage Research 148:40-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2014.12.003