Evaluation of Turkish oregano (Origanum onites L.) under organic farming system

Abstract

Spice production is crucial for the world economy. Today, the farming of spices faces significant challenges under climate change, such as heat stress, rising salinity, water stress, low soil nutrients, and increased pests, which lead to reduced yield and quality. The present study was conducted in Egypt on Turkish oregano (Origanum onites L.) plants. The trial was achieved under organic farming conditions. The purpose was to investigate the responses of the plant towards two natural stimulators, chitosan and biofertilizer. The design of the work was a split plot. Main plots were assigned to the foliar spray of chitosan at three concentrations (0, 5, and 10 liters/hectare) and sub-plots to biofertilizer EM (with and without). The collected data comprised plant height, fresh and dry herb weights per plant, fresh and dry herb yields per hectare, essential oil percentage, oil yield per plant and hectare, and GC-MS analysis of oils. The significant maximum growth and yield characteristics were obtained by spraying with chitosan at the highest concentration of 10 liters/hectare combined with soil drenching by biofertilizer EM. The major essential oil component was carvacrol, which is responsible for its pungent flavour. This previous treatment also recorded the maximum carvacrol percent in oil of all cuts. So, this treatment could be used to increase the quantity and quality of the organic product.

Advances in Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review of Climate Change Mitigation

“…Considering that new strategies and sustainable practices must be adopted. For example, chitosan, which is obtained from arthropods or insects, and microbe-based biofertilizers can improve thermal tolerance by increasing plant's immunity, antioxidants and hormones production, boosting nitrogen fixation, phosphorus dissolution in soil, crop biomass and photosynthesis rate; all of these considerations lead to better crop productivity and a greater yield (Dastogeer et al, 2022;Toaima et al, 2023). An innovative technology that can help in achieving this goal is represented by nanoparticles.…”