Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters for Dried Herbs of Two Varieties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)
by
, ,
Natalia Matłok
1,*
,
Agnieszka Ewa Stępień
2,3
,
Józef Gorzelany
1,
Renata Wojnarowska-Nowak
4 and
Maciej Balawejder
5
1
Department of Food and Agriculture Production Engineering, University of Rzeszow, St. Zelwerowicza 4, 35601 Rzeszów, Poland
2
Department of Dietetics, Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, al/Mjr. W.Kopisto 2a, 35310 Rzeszów, Poland
3
Centre for Innovative Research in Medical and Natural Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Warzywna 1A, 35310 Rzeszów, Poland
4
Institute of Physics, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Pigonia 1 Str, 35959 Rzeszow, Poland
5
Department of Chemistry and Food Toxicology, University of Rzeszow, St. Ćwiklińskiej 1a, 35601 Rzeszów, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(16), 5503; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165503
Submission received: 8 July 2020
/
Revised: 17 July 2020
/
Accepted: 5 August 2020
/
Published: 9 August 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical and Molecular Sciences)
Abstract
:The purpose of the conducted study was to determine the effect of the applied organic and mineral fertilizer on the yield and the selected quality parameters of the obtained dried mass of Origanum vulgare L. A pot experiment was carried out involving two varieties of oregano (Aureum and Hot & Spicy), which were fertilized using organic and mineral fertilizer. The produced raw material underwent a drying process using the CPD-VMFD combination method, which involved convective pre-drying (40 °C and 0.8 m s−1) and vacuum-microwave finish drying at 240 W magnetron power. The resulting dry products were assessed in terms of color in CIE L * a * b * (Colour Ques spectrophotometer) and spectrophotometric analyses in order to determine the total content of polyphenols and antioxidant properties (ABTS and DPPH). Headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) from the obtained products was carried out, and their composition was determined by gas chromatography (GC-MS). The organic fertilizers used have resulted in the production of dry oregano herbs with a much higher bioactive potential than that of the herbs treated with material fertilizer. This phenomenon could be recognized as an elicitation effect associated with the use of common nettle extract. The organically fertilized oregano also contained an increased carvacrol content in the headspace, which resulted in a more intense odor of the dry herbs. The use of organic fertilizers in the cultivation of Origanum vulgare L. contributes to the production of raw material for direct consumption and drying, which has a higher bioactive potential and better organoleptic properties.
1. Introduction
Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) belongs to the Lamiaceae family, whose natural habitat is the Mediterranean region. The species Origanum vulgare L. is derived from the Euro-Siberian and Irano-Siberian regions and has a wide range of morphological and chemical diversity [1,2]. Currently, this species is widespread and grown in Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Americas [3].
Because of its composition and its characteristics, Origanum vulgare L. is a principal culinary herb used worldwide, both fresh and dried [1,4]. The oregano herb is also used in traditional medicine in many countries as a plant medicine with therapeutic (sudorific, carminative, antispasmodic, antiseptic, toning) properties [5,6]. The medicinal properties of oregano are attributed to the biological properties of this herb and to the composition of the essential oils contained in it [7,8]. Essential oils contained in oregano ranging from 0.5% to 7% are rich in two isomeric phenols, carvacrol and thymol, as well as their precursor monoterpenes: p-cymene and γ-terpinene [9,10]. The active ingredients of oregano also include polyphenols, including flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, saponins, alkaloids and sterols [11]. These ingredients not only determine the taste and smell of the herb but also its properties, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial ones [12].
The bioactive content and the efficiency and composition of the essential oils in oregano depend on a number of factors, such as variety and crop conditions, including climate, habitat and water stress as well as the fertilization method and harvesting time [13,14,15]. The use of organic fertilizer with plant extracts in cultivating herbs results in a raw material with higher levels of bioactive compounds due to the occurrence of the elicitation phenomenon [16]. Elicitation is an intervention intended to induce a plant’s defense reaction. This reaction causes a number of biochemical processes leading to the creation of multiple groups of secondary metabolites. Plant extracts or chemical compounds such as abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate and trans-anethole [17] can be used as elicitors.
The aim of the present paper was to determine the impact of the variety as well as of the organic fertilizers applied on the yield of Origanum vulgare L., the content of the selected bioactive compounds and the composition of the volatile organic compounds responsible for the scent of the dried raw material.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Pot Experiment
In order to determine the impact of the applied fertilization on the bioactive compounds’ content of dried herbs of two varieties of Origanum vulgare L., a pot experiment was carried out. The pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse from July to August 2019. The experimental layout was factorial in a complete randomized design (CRD), with three replications. Each replication included 32 production pots with a volume of 0.78 dm3 of soil, with 10 seeds placed at a depth of approximately 0.5 cm. The analyzed factor in the experiment was the type of fertilization used. Two varieties of oregano were tested, Aureum and Hot & Spicy, by organic and mineral fertilizing. The organic cultivation method relied on an innovative organic substrate consisting of sterile peat with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 (70% in terms of weight) fortified with an extract from the common nettle (Urtica dioica L.) (10% by weight) and horse manure (20% in terms of weight). This method involved pre-sowing soil fertilization using organic fertilizer with controlled release Bioilsa N 12.5. The other (conventional) oregano cultivation method used a sterile peat substrate with pH 5.5–6.5 (100%) and involved a pre-sowing soil-applied mineral fertilizer. The composition of the substrate and the applied fertilization in the tested methods of oregano cultivation are shown in Table 1.
During the course of the experiment, a constant soil humidity of 60% of field water capacity was maintained. To this end, the pots were weighed daily and watered once the percentage of soil moisture went below 60%. The temperature during the experiment was approximately 25 °C during the day and about 15 °C at night. No chemical plant protection was carried out during the experiment. The crop harvest was carried out eight weeks after sowing, and the obtained biomass yield was then assessed. To this end, 96 plants were randomly taken from each variant of the experiment and then cut directly above the ground and weighed.
2.2. Plant Material Preparation and Analysis
Method of drying (S1), drying kinetics determination (S2), HS-SPME GC-MS herbs analysis (S3), total polyphenolic content (S4), antioxidant activities (S5), color analysis (S6) and statistical analysis (S7) methodology are attached as Supplementary Materials [16,18,19].
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Yield
When analyzing the obtained results (Table 2) regarding the height and weight of the individual plants of Origanum vulgare L. produced in the pot experiment, different values of the measured parameters were found depending on the variety and the fertilization used. A significant impact of the applied organic fertilization on the increase in height and the mass of plants of both varieties of oregano was noted. This was probably due to the increased content of the main macro-components (N, P, K and Mg) in the peat substrate resulting from its fortification with horse manure, which contained these fertilizing compounds. The increased nutrient content for plants, including mainly nitrogen, increased the yield of oregano and other species of spices [20,21,22,23]. In addition to nitrogen, the yield and quality of the crop were influenced by potassium and phosphorus.
3.2. The Kinetics of Drying
The kinetics of drying (CPD 40 °C-VMFD 240 W) of the leaves of two varieties of Origanum vulgare L. depending on the cultivation and fertilization method are shown in Figure 1, and the parameters of the Page model fitted to the empirical points are summarized in Table 3.
The produced Origanum vulgare L. raw material was dried using the combination method (CPD 40 °C-VMFD 240 W). This method is a microwave-based technique that provides an additional source of heat, reduces drying time and, thus, improves the quality of the final product [24]. Regardless of the variety, the leaves of the mineral-treated oregano obtained a final moisture content of about 3% in less time than organic-treated herbs. The drying time of the minerally fertilized oregano for the varieties Aureum and Hot & Spicy was 264 min. However, the organically treated dried oregano obtained the same final raw material moisture content after a period of 276 min for the Aureum variety and 268 min for the Hot & Spicy variety (Table 3, Figure 1).
3.3. Chemical Composition of HS-SPME
The HS-SPME method of analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) obtained from the herbs of two Origanum vulgare L. varieties treated with organic and mineral fertilizers showed the presence of typical compounds present in essential oils isolated from different varieties of this herb species. The main components of the volatile fraction of the dried product for both varieties of oregano were identified as carvacrol and thymol (Figure 2 and Figure 3) [3,10]. However, the content of these ingredients varied according to the variety as well as the fertilization method used. The highest carvacrol content was found in the volatile fraction of dried Aureum, while thymol was found in the dried mass of Hot & Spicy. The variable ratio between carvalacrol and thymol depending on the variety of oregano was also found by Skoufogianni et al. [25]. When analyzing the test results of the composition of the dried oregano volatile fraction, a clear trend was also observed in which the carvacrol content increased in the headspace for the organically treated oregano. The increased carvacrol content in the raw material of oregano was also confirmed by Magno Queiroz Luz et al. [2]. The increase in the percentage of this ingredient recorded in the studies for this herb when fertilized organically as opposed to minerally ranged between 8.4% for the Aureum variety and 19.3% for the Hot & Spicy variety (Table 4). A similar relationship between the fertilizer used and the content of the main compounds of the headspace fraction was noted by Matłok et al. [16] in the herb of the common basil Ocimum basilicum L. In their study, the authors concluded that organic fertilization had an impact on the growth of the main components of the volatile fraction of the dried mass of two varieties of common basil. The organic fertilization involved a peat substrate that was fortified with common nettle extract (10% in terms of weight) and horse manure (20% in terms of weight), followed by soil-applied fertilization with Biolisa N 12,5. Corrêa et al. [26] also noted the impact of organic fertilization, including manure, on the composition of Origanum vulgare L. essential oils. The positive effects of organic fertilization on medicinal and aromatic plants such as Origanum vulgare L. have also been confirmed by Singh et al. [27]. Changes of volatile compounds of dry leaves of Cistus creticus L. relative to the method of drying and fertilizer applied also has been studied by Matłok et al. [19]. Changes in the composition of the volatile fraction due to fertilization are probably caused by the impact of applied fertilization on the metabolism of the produced plants.
The increased carvacrol and thymol content in both varieties of the organically fertilized oregano determined differences in the scent of the raw material, which proved more attractive in the initial organoleptic verification. These parameters clearly indicate a higher quality of raw material produced with organic fertilizers, which, in combination with the content of the selected bioactive compounds, confirms the desirability of using this fertilizer in the production of Origanum vulgare L.
3.4. Bioactive Compounds Content
When analyzing the obtained results concerning the antioxidant potential and the total polyphenol content in the dried herbs of Origanum vulgare L., a large variation in these parameters was observed depending on the application of fertilization during the production of the raw material (Table 5). Both the Aureum and the Hot & Spicy varieties saw a significant increase in polyphenols and in the antioxidant potential for organically fertilized raw material. The higher concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids in organically cultivated herbs compared to conventional ones were also recorded by Kazimierczak et al. [28].
Unfortunately, many of the results of the studies presented in the literature on the effects of organic and conventional cultivation on polyphenols in herbs do not explain the mechanisms of this phenomenon [28,29]. The increased antioxidant potential and polyphenol content of the analyzed dried samples are likely to be the result of elicitation associated with the use of the extract from the common nettle in the organic fertilization method. This extract is rich in a number of compounds of a potential character as an elicitor, which can produce a defense reaction in the fertilized plant. This reaction causes a number of biochemical processes leading to the creation of multiple groups of secondary metabolites [29]. The increase in polyphenol content in organically fertilized plants as a reaction of plants to biotic and abiotic stress was also reported by Young et al. [30] in their study.
3.5. Color
Such herbal raw materials as Origanum vulgare L. are a valuable source of many biologically active substances, including chlorophyll (porphyrin derivatives). The chlorophyll content (a and b) influences the color of the herbal material, which is one of the qualitative indicators, as well as the correctness of the processes used in its production and processing. When analyzing the results obtained on the a * parameter value, an impact of the applied fertilization on the green color intensity of the dried oregano of the Aureum and Hot & Spicy varieties was found. The dried herbs of both organically fertilized varieties were characterized by a stronger green color (Table 6), which was probably due to a higher chlorophyll content in organically fertilized herbs in relation to raw material produced by mineral fertilizers. This was probably the result of the magnesium content of the substrate used for the organic production of the oregano, which was more than four times higher (Table 1) than the mineral one. The increased magnesium content in the ground provided plants with suitable conditions for synthesis of chlorophyll, with magnesium as a central atom [31]. The effects of fertilization on the increase in chlorophyll content in different plant species were also confirmed by Skwaryło-Bednarz and Krzepiłko [32]. On the other hand, when analyzing the b * parameter values (Table 6), it was found that the organically treated oregano had a slightly more intense light yellow shade than the minerally treated raw material. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Similarly, the L-parameter value did not indicate the effect of the use of the oregano fertilizer on the brightness of the color of the dried product. The color of the obtained dried leaves of the oregano was significantly dependent on the variety of Origanum vulgare L. (Table 6).
4. Conclusions
The conducted study revealed an effect of the used fertilization method of Origanum vulgare L. on the bioactive compounds content and the volatile fraction composition (HS-SPME) in the obtained dried leaves of the oregano. The use of a peat substrate fortified with common nettle extract and horse manure in combination with the Bioilsa N 12.5 organic fertilizer is an effective and efficient method of producing herbal raw material of oregano. The use of organic fertilizers has been shown to produce high yields of the oregano herb, the combined drying (CPD-VMFD) of which allows the production of herbal products with the most bioactive compounds and the visual and fragrance properties desired by consumers. The increase in antioxidant potential and polyphenol content is particularly noticeable. There were also significant differences in the quantity of carvacrol in the volatile fraction, which explains the increased and more attractive scent of the final herbal product. The raw material of Origanum vulgare L. produced using organic fertilizers can be a valuable raw material for the production of herbal products as well as a product rich in bioactive compounds for direct consumption.
Supplementary Materials
The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/16/5503/s1, Materials and methods, Plant Material Preparation and Analysis: method of drying (S1), drying kinetics determination (S2), HS-SPME GC-MS herbs analysis (S3), plant extract preparation (S4), total polyphenolic content (S5), antioxidant activities (S6), color analysis (S7) and statistical analysis (S8).
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, investigation, methodology and writing—original draft, N.M.; Investigation, M.B., A.E.S.; Formal analysis, J.G., R.W.-N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
The project is financed by the program of the Minister of Science and Higher Education named “Regional Initiative of Excellence” in the years 2019-2022, project number 026/RID/2018/19, the amount of financing PLN 9 542 500.00.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
References
- Aligians, N.; Kalpoutzakis, E.; Mitaku, S.; Chinou, I.B. Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of two Origanum species. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2001, 49, 4168–4170. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Luz, J.M.Q.; Silva, S.M.; Soares, J.S.; de Oliveira, R.C.; Marques, M.O.M.; Facanali, R. Organic fertilization and composition of oregano essential oil. Bol. Lat. Caribe Plant Med. Aromat. 2016, 15, 301–314. [Google Scholar]
- Goliaris., A.; Chatzopoulou, P.; Katsiotis, S. Production of new Greek Oregano clones and analysis of their essential oils. J. Herbs 2002, 10, 29–35. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chudnicka, A.; Matysik, G. Research of enzymatic activities of fresh juice and water infusions from dry herbs. J. Ethnopharm. 2005, 99, 281–286. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Sagdiç, O.; Kusçu, A.; Ozcan, M.; Ozçelik, S. Effects of Turkish spices extracts at various concentrations on the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Food Microbiol. 2002, 19, 473–480. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sahin, F.; Gulluce, M.; Daferera, D.; Sokmen, A.; Polissiou, M.; Agar, G.; Ozer, H. Biological activities of the essential oils and methanol extract of Origanum vulgare ssp. vulgare in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. Food Cont. 2004, 15, 549–557. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chun, S.; Vattem, D.A.; Shetty, K. Phenolic antioxidants from clonal oregano (Oreganum vulgare) with antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pylori. Process Biochem. 2005, 40, 809–816. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Paster, N.; Menasherov, M.; Ravid, U.; Juven, B.; Raduoiene, J.; Judpintiene, A.; Peeiulyte, D.; Janulis, V. Chemical composition of essential oil and antimicrobial avtivity of Origanum vulgare. Biologija 2005, 4, 53–58. [Google Scholar]
- Burt, S.; Vlielander, R.; Haagsman, H.; Veldhuizen, E. Increase in activity of essential oil components carvacrol and thymol against Escherichia coli O157:H7 by addition of food stabilizers. J. Food Prot. 2005, 68, 919–926. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sakkas, H.; Papadopoulou, C. Antimicrobial Activity of Basil, Oregano, and Thyme Essential Oils. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2017, 27, 429–438. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Yan, F.; Azizi, A.; Janke, S.; Schwarz, M.; Zeller, S.; Honermeier, B. Antioxidant capacity variation in the oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) collection of the German National Genebank. Ind. Crop. Prod. 2016, 92, 119–125. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Szajdek, A.; Borowska, J. Właściwości przeciwutleniające żywności pochodzenia roślinnego. Nauka. Technologia. Jakość 2004, 4, 5–28. [Google Scholar]
- Brovelli, E.A. Pre- and postharvest factors affecting nutraceutical properties of horticultural products. Stewart Posthar. Rev. 2006, 2, 1–6. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Min, S.Y.; Tawaha, A.R.M.; Lee, K.D. Effects of ammonium concentration on the yield, mineral content and active terpene components of Chrysanthemum coronarium L. in a hydroponic system. Res. J. Agric. Biol. Sci. 2005, 1, 170–175. [Google Scholar]
- Stutte, G.W. Process and product: Recirculation hydroponics and bioactive compounds in a controlled environment. Hortscience 2006, 41, 526–530. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Matłok, N.; Gorzelany, J.; Stepień, A.E.; Figiel, A.; Balawejder, M. Effect of Fertilization in Selected Phytometric Features and Contents of Bioactive Compounds in Dry Matter of Two Varieties of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Sustainability 2019, 11, 6590. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Kochan, E.A.; Balcerczak, E.; Szymczyk, P.; Sienkiewcz, M.; Zielińska-Bliźniewska, H.; Szymańska, G. Abscicis acid gerulates the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase gene promoter and ginsenoside production in Panax quinquefolium hairy root culures. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 1310. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Stępień, A.E.; Gorzelany, J.; Matłok, N.; Lech, K.; Figiel, A. The effect of drying methods on the energy consumption, bioactive potential and colour of dried leaves of Pink Rock Rose (Cistus creticus). J. Food Sci. Technol. 2019, 56, 2386–2394. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Matłok, N.; Lachowicz, S.; Gorzelany, J.; Balawejder, M. Influence of Drying Method on Some Bioactive Compounds and the Composition of Volatile Components in Dried Pink Rock Rose (Cistus creticus L.). Molecules 2020, 25, 2596. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sifola, M.I.; Barbieri, G. Growth, yield and essentials oil content of three cultivars of basil grown under different levels of nitrogen in the field. Sci. Hort. 2006, 108, 408–413. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rao, E.V.S.P.; Puttana, K.; Rao, R.S.G.; Ramesh, S. Nitrogen and potassium nutrition of French basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). J. Spices Aromat. Plants 2007, 16, 99–105. [Google Scholar]
- Sarab, D.; Naghdi Badi, H.; Nasi, M.; Makkizadeh, M.; Midi, H. Changes in essentials oil content and yield of basil in response to different levels of nitrogen and plant density. J. Med. Plants 2008, 7, 60–70. [Google Scholar]
- Zheljazkov, V.D.; Cantrell, C.L.; Ebelhar, M.W.; Rowe, D.E.; Coker, C. Productivity, oil content, and oil composition of sweet basil as a function of nitrogen and sulphur fertilization. Hort. Sci. 2008, 43, 1415–1422. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Alibas, I. Determination of drying parameters, ascorbic acid contents and color characteristics of nettle leaves during microwave-, air- and combined microwave-air-drying. J. Food Process Eng. 2010, 33, 213–233. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Skoufogianni, E.; Solomou, A.D.; Danalatos, N.G. Ecology, Cultivation and Utilization of the Aromatic Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.): A Review. Not. Botanic. Hort. Agro. Cluj-Napoca 2019, 47, 545–552. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Corrêa, R.M.; Pinto, J.E.B.P.; Reis, E.S.; Costa, L.C.B.; Alves, P.B.; Niculan, E.S.; Brant, R.S. Organic fertilization on phytomass production and essential oil content and quality of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) under protected cultivation. Rev. Bras. Plantas Med. 2010, 12, 80–89. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Singh, K.; Chand, K.; Yaseen, M. Integrated nutrient management in Indian basil (Ocimum basilicum). Ind. Crops Prod. 2014, 55, 225–229. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kazimierczak, R.; Hallmann, E.; Sokołowska, O.; Rembiałkowska, E. Bioactive substances content in selected species of medical plants from organic and conventional production. J. Res. Appl. Agric. Engin. 2011, 56, 200–205. [Google Scholar]
- Kazimierczak, R.; Hallmann, E.; Rembiałkowska, E. Effects of organic and conventional production systems on the content of bioactive substances in four species of medicinal plants. Biol. Agric. Hort. 2014, 34, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Young, J.E.; Zhao, X.; Carey, E.E.; Welti, R.; Yang, S.-S.; Wang, W. Phytochemical phenolics in organically grown vegetables. Mol. Nutrit. Food Res. 2005, 49, 1136–1142. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tomaszewski, B.; Majtkowska, G.; Majtkowski, W. Chlorophyll content index in selected ecotypes and varieties of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in the diverse fertilization conditions. Biuletyn Instytutu Hodowli I Aklimatyzacji Roślin 2016, 280, 71–77. [Google Scholar]
- Skwaryło-Bednarz, B.; Krzepiłko, A. Wpływ zróżnicowanego nawożenia NPK na zawartość chlorofilu w liściach dwóch odmian szarłatu (Amaranthus cruentus L.) uprawianego w siewie szerokorzędowym. Acta Agrophysica 2009, 14, 469–477. [Google Scholar]
Figure 1.
Water content decrease in Origanum vulgare L. leaves during vacuum-microwave drying after convection pre-drying (CPD) at 40 °C followed by VMFD. In the figure: MR= moisture ratio, A = variety Aureum, HS = variety Hot & Spicy, (O) = organic fertilization, (M) = mineral fertilization, t = temperature.
Figure 1.
Water content decrease in Origanum vulgare L. leaves during vacuum-microwave drying after convection pre-drying (CPD) at 40 °C followed by VMFD. In the figure: MR= moisture ratio, A = variety Aureum, HS = variety Hot & Spicy, (O) = organic fertilization, (M) = mineral fertilization, t = temperature.
Figure 2.
SPME-GC chromatograms for the volatile fraction of dry material from oregano Hot & Spicy treated with organic (O) and mineral (M) fertiliser.
Figure 2.
SPME-GC chromatograms for the volatile fraction of dry material from oregano Hot & Spicy treated with organic (O) and mineral (M) fertiliser.
Figure 3.
SPME-GC chromatograms for the volatile fraction of dry material from oregano Aureum.
Table 1.
Characteristics of the methods used in cultivation of Origanum vulgare L.
| Fertilization Method | Substratum Composition | pH in KCl | Substratum Abundance (mg 100 g Substratum−1) | N Total (%) | Nitrogen Fertilization | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P2O5 | K2O | Mg | Dose (g N Plant−1) | Type of Fertilizer | ||||
| mineral | 6.4 | 40.4 | 244.2 | 62.0 | 0.74 | 1.2 | Ammonium nitrate | |
| organic | neutral peat (70%), extract of common nettle (10%), horse manure (20%) | 5.3 | 237.0 | 1282.0 | 269.0 | 1.88 | 0.6 | Bioilsa N 12.5 |
Table 2.
The height and weight of individual plants of Origanum vulgare L. depending on the variety and the fertilization used.
Table 2.
The height and weight of individual plants of Origanum vulgare L. depending on the variety and the fertilization used.
| Veriety | Fertilization Method | Plant Height (cm) ± SD | Plant Mass (g) ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aureum | organic | 18.2 ± 2.4 b | 1.96 ± 0.28 b |
| mineral | 14.6 ± 3.0 a | 1.32 ± 0.21 a | |
| Hot & Spicy | organic | 16.1 ± 2.3 d | 1.51 ± 0.31 d |
| mineral | 11.9 ± 3.0 c | 1.19 ± 0.33 c |
In the table: ± SD and n = 96, differences between the growing methods, assessed by Statistica 13.1 Student’s test, are indicated by different letters (a, b, c, etc.), difference at p < 0.05.
Table 3.
The Page’s model parameters, drying time and final water content in leaves of Origanum vulgare L. in vacuum-microwave drying (CPD 40 °C-VMFD 240 W).
Table 3.
The Page’s model parameters, drying time and final water content in leaves of Origanum vulgare L. in vacuum-microwave drying (CPD 40 °C-VMFD 240 W).
| Variety | Fertilization Method | Stage of Drying | Constants | Statistics | Drying Time | Mcwb | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | k | n | RMSE‡ | R2 | (min) | (%) | |||
| Aureum | organic | CPD | 1 | 0.006607 | 0.8519 | 0.008817 | 0.9974 | 276 | 3 |
| VMFD | 0.4751 | 0.04798 | 1.3037 | 0.010173 | 0.9973 | ||||
| mineral | CPD | 1 | 0.007941 | 0.8715 | 0.005357 | 0.9993 | 264 | 2.9 | |
| VMFD | 0.3800 | 0.06966 | 1.5523 | 0.006244 | 0.9990 | ||||
| Hot & Spicy | organic | CPD | 1 | 0.008182 | 0.8095 | 0.006950 | 0.9983 | 268 | 3 |
| VMFD | 0.4839 | 0.04384 | 1.5468 | 0.006976 | 0.9991 | ||||
| mineral | CPD | 1 | 0.01370 | 0.7482 | 0.011269 | 0.9964 | 264 | 3.1 | |
| VMFD | 0.4163 | 0.03255 | 1.7861 | 0.013759 | 0.9962 | ||||
In the table: A = coefficient corresponding to the initial value of MR, k = drying constant, n = exponent, R2 = coefficient of determination, RMSE‡ = lowest values of the root-mean-square error, Mcwb = final water content.
Table 4.
Chemical composition of headspace fractions of dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
Table 4.
Chemical composition of headspace fractions of dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
| No. | RT (min) | Peak Share in the Chromatogram (%) | Ordinary Substance Name | Systematic Substance Name | No CAS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A(O) | A(M) | HS(O) | HS(M) | |||||
| 1 | 9.53 | 1.45 ± 0.30 a | 2.71 ± 0.42 b | 9.04 ± 1.61 a | 8.62 ± 2.12 a | cymene | methyl(1-methylethyl)benzene | 25155-15-1 |
| 2 | 9.62 | 1.24 ± 0.21 a | trace | trace | trace | Β-phellandrene | 3-Isopropyl-6-methylenecyclohex-1-ene | 555-10-2 |
| 3 | 10.23 | 0.61 ± 0.08 a | 1.23 ± 0.19 b | 1.70 ± 0.07 c | trace | γ-terpinene | 1-methyl-4-propan-2-ylcyclohexa-1,4-diene | 99-85-4 |
| 4 | 10.99 | 0.49 ± 0.06 a | 0.58 ± 0.09 a | trace | trace | trans-sabinene hydrate | 2-methyl-5-propan-2-ylbicyclo [3.1.0]hexan-2-ol | 78-70-6 |
| 5 | 12.19 | 1.02 ± 0.06 a | 0.86 ± 0.07 a | trace | trace | L-borneol | 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-6-ol | 464-45-9 |
| 6 | 12.36 | 0.75 ± 0.06 a | 0.68 ± 0.08 a | trace | trace | 4-terpinenol | 4-methyl-1-propan-2-ylcyclohex-3-en-1-ol | 562-74-3 |
| 7 | 13.22 | trace | trace | 1.41 ± 0.09 a | 3.69 ± 1.03 b | thymyl methyl ether | 1-methyl-3-methoxy-4-isopropylbenzene | 1076-56-8 |
| 8 | 13.38 | 1.78 ± 0.26 a | 1.51 ± 0.29 a | 5.23 ± 0.91 a | 13.33 ± 2.12 b | carvacryl methyl ether | 4-isopropyl-2-methoxy-1-methylbenzene | 6379-73-3 |
| 9 | 13.50 | 2.06 ± 0.53 a | 2.13 ± 0.52 a | 2.23 ± 0.34 a | trace | thymoquinone | 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone | 490-91-5 |
| 10 | 14.09 | 2.71 ± 0.41 a | 3.63 ± 0.68 b | 20.30 ± 1.86 b | 17.73 ± 2.56 a | thymol | 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol | 89-83-8 |
| 11 | 14.32 | 81.40 ± 5.08 b | 75.09 ± 6.32 a | 29.42 ± 2.08 b | 24.66 ± 3.02 a | carvacrol | 2-methyl-5-(propan-2-yl)phenol | 499-75-2 |
| 12 | 15.36 | trace | trace | trace | trace | α-copaene | 1,3-dimethyl-8-(1-methyl ethyl) tricyclo(4.4.0.0.02,7-)dec-3-ene | 3856-25-5 |
| 13 | 15.98 | 1.24 ± 0.27 a | 2.01 ± 0.22 b | 3.82 ± 0.09 a | 5.44 ± 1.01 b | β-caryophyllene | (−)-trans-Caryophyllene, trans-(1R,9S)-8-Methylene-4,11,11-trimethylbicyclo[7.2.0]undec-4-ene | 87-44-5 |
| 14 | 16.09 | 0.28 ± 0.06 a | 0.35 ± 0.06 a | 1.39 ± 0.29 a | 2.16 ± 0.66 b | (E)-germacrene D | (1E,6E)-1-methyl-5-methylidene-8-propan-2-cylcyclodeca-1,6-diene | 23986-74-5 |
| 15 | 16.24 | trace | trace | trace | valencene | 4a,5-dimethyl-3-prop-1-en-2-yl-2,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-1H-naphthalene | 4630-07-3 | |
| 16 | 16.68 | 0.27 ± 0.08 a | trace | trace | trace | (-)-α-amorphene | 1α-isopropyl-4,7-dimethyl-1,2,4aβ,5,6,8aβ-hexahydronaphthale | 6753-98-6 |
| 17 | 17.03 | 1.27 ± 0.17 a | 1.58 ± 0.19 a | 4.50 ± 0.86 a | 5.43 ± 1.03 b | Β-bisabolene | (4R)-1-methyl-4-(6-methylhepta-1,5-dien-2-yl)cyclohexene | 495-61-4 |
| 18 | 18.06 | 0.39 ± 0.07 a | trace | trace | trace | β-caryophyllene oxide | [1R-(1R *,4R *,6R *,10S *)]-4,12,12-trimethyl-9-methylene-5-oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane | 1139-30-6 |
| TOTAL | 96.96 ± 5.21 b | 92.36 ± 4.34 a | 79.04 ± 3.87 a | 80.5 ± 3.89 a | ||||
In the table: ± SD and n = 3; RT =retention time; A =variety Aureum; HS =variety Hot & Spicy; (O) =organic fertilization; (M) =mineral fertilization; no. CAS =number of chemical abstracts service; differences between the growing methods, assessed by Statistica 13.1 Student’s test, are indicated by different letters (a, b, c, etc.). * difference at p < 0.05.
Table 5.
Antioxidant activities (DPPH test, ABTS test) expressed as a mg Trolox equivalent and total polyphenolic content presented as total phenolic content expressed as a Galic acid equivalent in dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
Table 5.
Antioxidant activities (DPPH test, ABTS test) expressed as a mg Trolox equivalent and total polyphenolic content presented as total phenolic content expressed as a Galic acid equivalent in dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
| Variety | Fertilization Method | DPPH (mg g−1 dm) ± SD | ABTS (mg g−1 dm) ± SD | Total Phenolic Content (mg g−1 dm) ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aureum | organic | 21.70 ± 0.30 a | 117.40 ± 0.33 b | 15.66 ± 0.66 d |
| mineral | 19.04 ± 0.30 a | 107.66 ± 2.23 c,* | 8.31 ± 0.35 e,* | |
| Hot & Spicy | organic | 24.47 ± 1.10 f | 123.60 ± 0.25 g | 18.12 ± 2.25 i |
| mineral | 23.18 ± 2.73 f | 112.09 ± 1.09 h,* | 8.98 ± 0.35 j,* |
In the table: ±SD and n = 3; differences between the growing methods, assessed by Statistica 13.1 Student’s test, are indicated by different letters (a, b, c, etc.). * difference at p < 0.05.
Table 6.
Assessment of color in dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
Table 6.
Assessment of color in dry leaves of Origanum vulgare L. relative to the variety and fertilizer applied.
| Variety | Fertilization Method | L * ± SD | a * ± SD | b * ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aureum | organic | 51.21 ± 1.45 a | −1.09 ± 0.08 c | 11.60 ± 0.63 f |
| mineral | 48.27 ± 0.48 a | −1.06 ± 0.04 c | 9.01 ± 0.40 f | |
| Hot & Spicy | organic | 48.93 ± 0.81 b | −0.65 ± 0.04 d | 10.17 ± 0.29 g |
| mineral | 45.96 ± 0.81 b | −0.58 ± 0.06 e,* | 7.94 ± 0.03 h,* |
In the table: ±SD and n = 3; differences between the growing methods, assessed by Statistica 13.1 Student’s test, are indicated by different letters (a, b, c, etc.). * difference at p < 0.05.
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Matłok, N.; Stępień, A.E.; Gorzelany, J.; Wojnarowska-Nowak, R.; Balawejder, M. Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters for Dried Herbs of Two Varieties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.). Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 5503. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165503
AMA Style
Matłok N, Stępień AE, Gorzelany J, Wojnarowska-Nowak R, Balawejder M. Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters for Dried Herbs of Two Varieties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.). Applied Sciences. 2020; 10(16):5503. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165503
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatłok, Natalia, Agnieszka Ewa Stępień, Józef Gorzelany, Renata Wojnarowska-Nowak, and Maciej Balawejder. 2020. "Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters for Dried Herbs of Two Varieties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)" Applied Sciences 10, no. 16: 5503. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165503
APA StyleMatłok, N., Stępień, A. E., Gorzelany, J., Wojnarowska-Nowak, R., & Balawejder, M. (2020). Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization on Yield and Selected Quality Parameters for Dried Herbs of Two Varieties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.). Applied Sciences, 10(16), 5503. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165503
Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.
