Effect of Thiobacillus and Superabsorbent on Essential Oil Components in Thyme Species

Abstract

Optimal nutrition along with non-stress conditions has a significant impact on the quantity and quality of essential oil in medicinal plants. The objective of this research was to examine the possibility of improving the quantity and quality of essential oil in thyme through nutrition of the seedlings using Thiobacillus bio-fertilizer and treatment by Superabsorbent.For this purpose, seedlings of two thyme species (Thymus vulgaris and Thymus daenensis) were sown in pots and exposed to different levels of Thiobacillus and superabsorbent. Results of Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed that the main compounds detected for T. vulgaris were thymol (31.5%), p-cymene (23.4%), γ-terpinene (13.9%), linalool (38.3%) and carvacrol (2.7%) while the main compounds of T. daenensis were thymol (51.2%), o-cymene (12.9%), γ-terpinene (4.5%), linalool (1.7%) and borneol (3.1%).Furthermore, the application of Thiobacillus had a significant effect on α-pinene content (p=0.05). Moreover, the interaction between superabsorbent and Thiobacillus significantly changed the percentage of thymol, borneol, and caryophyllene. In conclusion, the mean of essence components in T. vulgaris was more than T. daenensis with the exception of thymol and caryophyllene.

Exploring Chemical Variability in the Essential Oils of the Thymus Genus

“…Amani Machiani et al [119] demonstrated that the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and chitosan nanoparticles (CHT) as bio-fertilizers, either individually or in combination, enhances both the quantity and quality of thyme essential oil, particularly thymol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene. Furthermore, the application of Thiobacillus bio-fertilizer and treatment with superabsorbent were found to impact the content of thymol, caryophyllene, and borneol in Thymus vulgaris and T. daenesis [120]. Abdel-Hamid et al [121] revealed that the inoculation of a bacterial consortium, acting as a plant growth-promoting bacteria, could affect the oil composition in T. vulgaris, resulting in a higher thymol content compared to the control.…”