20Optimal nutrition along with non-stress conditions has a significant impact on the quantity 21 and quality of essential oil in medicinal plants. The objective of this research was to examine 22 the possibility of improving the quantity and quality of essential oil in thyme through 23 nutrition of the seedlings using Thiobacillus bio-fertilizer and treatment by Superabsorbent.
24For this purpose, seedlings of two thyme species (Thymus vulgaris and Thymus daenensis) 25 were sown in pots and exposed to different levels of Thiobacillus and superabsorbent. Results
26of Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed that the main compounds 27 detected for T. vulgaris were thymol (31.5%), p-cymene (23.4%), γ-terpinene (13.9%), 28 linalool (38.3%) and carvacrol (2.7%) while the main compounds of T. daenensis were 29 thymol (51.2%), o-cymene (12.9%), γ-terpinene (4.5%), linalool (1.7%) and borneol (3.1%).
30Furthermore, the application of Thiobacillus had a significant effect on α-pinene content 31 (p=0.05). Moreover, the interaction between superabsorbent and Thiobacillus significantly 32 changed the percentage of thymol, borneol, and caryophyllene. In conclusion, the mean of 33 essence components in T. vulgaris was more than T. daenensis with the exception of thymol 34 and caryophyllene. 35 36 37 38 39 42 France, Greece, etc.), has long been used as a source of essential oil and other constituents 43 (e.g. thymol, flavanoid, caffeic acid and labiatic acid) derived from the different parts of the 44 plant. In addition to their numerous traditional uses, the plant (herb) and its essential oil have 45 found diverse applications in pharmacy and medicine [1]. Thymus vulgaris is a perennial 46 medicinal plant, cultivated worldwide for a lot of uses like culinary, cosmetic and medical 47 purposes. This species has special activities such as antispasmodic, expectorant, antiseptic, 48 antimicrobial and antioxidant [2,3]. Thymus daenensis is native to Iran [4]. 49 Depending on the growing conditions (different environments, climates, soil, 50 geographical location) Thyme can provide various therapeutic properties [5]. Plant growth, 51 quality, and quantity of active ingredients mainly depends on genetic manipulation while 52 environmental factors play a major role by leading to changes in the growth, quality and 53 quantity of active substances such as alkaloids, glycosides, essential oils [6].54Thyme contains 0.8 to 2.6% (generally 1%) of essential oils which is primarily 55 comprised (20 to 80%) of phenols, monoterpenes (e.g. p-cymene and y-terpinen), and 56 alcohols (e.g. linalool, a-terpinene and is thujan-4-ol). In general, thymol constitutes the 57 highest content of phenolic compounds while carvacrol is a minor part of the essential oil of 58 Thyme [7]. In a study by Barazandeh and Bagherzadeh [8] investigating the essential oil of 59 the aerial parts of Thymus daenensis, GS/MS results showed that among the 43 indicated 60 components, thymol (73.9%), carvacrol (6.7%), para-cymene (4.6%), β-bisabolene (1.5%) 61...
