Search Results (17)

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), a crop of significant medicinal, ornamental, and economic value, faces severe industrialization challenges due to weed-induced yield losses (up to 60%). This study aims to identify safe and highly efficient herbicides for marigold, assess their effects on dominant weeds and crop safety, and provide a practical basis for large-scale cultivation. We evaluated 11 pre-emergence herbicides, 13 post-emergence herbicides, and agronomic practices (plastic mulch) through three field trials to optimize weed control, crop safety, and productivity. In Experiment 1, pre-emergence applications of pendimethalin (35% SC) and oxyfluorfen (240 g/L EC) under plastic mulch suppressed 85–99% of grass and broad-leaved weeds, elevating marigold yield to 1655.6 kg/667 m² and increasing lutein content by 10.7% compared to controls, with no phytotoxicity to subsequent wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)or broad beans (Vicia faba L.). Experiment 2 demonstrated that post-cultivation soil treatment with metolachlor · oxyfluorfen · pendimethalin (50% EC) enhanced weed suppression (47.8–53.6%) and yield (3.4% increase) while ensuring crop safety. Experiment 3 revealed that the post-emergence herbicides haloxyfop-P-methyl (108 g/L EC) and fomesafen (250 g/L SL) achieved over 92% reduction in grass weed biomass and over 75% reduction in broadleaf weed density, respectively, alongside a 6.1% yield improvement. Therefore, region-specific strategies are recommended based on local agronomic conditions: high-value production zones should adopt integrated systems combining plastic mulch with pre-emergence herbicides; arid lands with extended crop rotation intervals require pre-emergence herbicides after intertillage and earthing-up; labor-abundant regions can rotate targeted post-emergence herbicides to delay resistance evolution. This study provides data-driven optimization strategies for comprehensive weed management in marigold fields, offering practical solutions to enhance industrial productivity and ecological sustainability. Full article

This study aimed to assess the effect of using selected herbs as companion crops in soybean cultivation on the yield and overall health of soybeans. A three-year field experiment (2021–2023) was conducted using a randomized block design with three replications, where the primary experimental variable was the sowing method. The innovative cropping system involved cultivating soybeans alongside different companion herbs, such as alyssum (Lobularia maritima L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), borage (Borago officinalis L.), French marigold (Tagetes patula L.), calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), and a herbal mixture referred to as ‘MIX’. The study showed that cultivation of soybean with fennel improved the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the yield, with a significant increase in seed yield (on average by 0.27 t ha⁻¹) as well as protein (7.67%) and oil yield (8.57%) compared to the pure soybean crop. The following fungal diseases were identified during the three-year study period (2021–2023): Cercospora leaf blight, Ascochyta blight, Fusarium wilt, and downy mildew. Cultivation of soybean with herbs as companion crops was implemented to improve the health of soybean to a varied extent. Borage, marigold, and calendula companion crops reduced infection of soybean by the fungi C. kikuchii and F. oxysporum. Cultivation with fennel and marigold was also beneficial for soybean health. On the other hand, cultivation with sweet alyssum and a mixture of herbs increased the occurrence of the fungus A. sojaecola. Cultivation of soybean in association with herbs is legitimate and requires further research given the priorities facing 21st-century agriculture. Full article

Lutein is widely used in medicine, health care, and food processing due to its antioxidant effects; however, it is difficult for the traditional extraction of lutein using marigolds to meet the increasing market demand for lutein. To achieve high-efficiency lutein production, we investigated the effects of different conditions on the biomass accumulation and lutein yield of Chlorella vulgaris. The optimized cultivation conditions include mixotrophic cultivation using sodium nitrate as a nitrogen source, maintaining a total-organic-carbon-to-total-nitrogen ratio of 12:1, a total-nitrogen-to-total-phosphorus ratio of 10:1, and lighting duration of 24 h. The results of the study indicated that under these specific conditions, Chlorella vulgaris attained a final biomass concentration, biomass productivity, and growth yield of 6.08 g·L⁻¹, 1.00 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹, and 1.67 g biomass/g TOC, respectively. Additionally, the concentrations of total chlorophyll, carotenoid, lutein, and protein reached 139.20 mg·L⁻¹, 31.87 mg·L⁻¹, 15.02 mg·L⁻¹, and 2.17 g·L⁻¹, respectively, and the content of lutein reached 2.47 mg·g⁻¹. This study supplies a theoretical basis for the industrial application of lutein production using Chlorella vulgaris. Full article

Using desi-cow waste products like Jeevamrit under natural farming is widespread among farmers for improving soil biology and productivity. Jeevamrit enhances soil chemical and microbiological properties without needing a large quantity of farmyard manure (FYM) as a sustainable farming practice with a reduced carbon footprint. Despite its traditional use, Jeevamrit faces criticism due to a lack of scientific evidence. This study investigated the comparative effect of Jeevamrit and chemical fertilizers on the growth and yield of marigold cv. Siracole. The experiment employed a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The mother block of marigolds was raised for both the summer and winter seasons. From this mother block, three harvesting flushes were taken and propagated from cuttings. The rooted cuttings were planted at monthly intervals and evaluated for flowering parameters and compared to those treated with RDF (30:20:20 N, P, and K g/m²). Soil supplied with Jeevamrit showed enhanced bacteria (26.33%), fungi (18.92%), and actinomycetes (31.21%) populations compared to the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (i.e., N–P–K @ 30:20:20 g m⁻²). Jeevamrit-treated plants have a more marketable flower yield per square meter (3.98%) and a longer shelf life (9.93%) compared to RDF. The study concludes that Jeevamrit @ 2 liters m⁻² is a sustainable and effective alternative to traditional fertilizers for enhancing marigold production in the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh, where natural farming is already accepted. Full article

The edible flowers of marigold (Tagetes spp.) are cultivated for their aesthetic appeal and high utility as functional health food ingredients. Carotenoid and flavonoid contents in marigold petals highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate cultivar and its processing methods for their industrial applications. The comparative understanding of the effects of dry processing on functional components across different marigold cultivars is still lacking. Therefore, this study investigated functional compound changes in the dry processing effect on four marigold cultivars with distinct flower shapes (Durango, Inca) and colors (yellow, orange). The petals in hot air drying (HAD) with 30, 60, and 90 °C applications were analyzed for the measurement of their individual secondary metabolite contents, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities. In freeze drying (FD), the lutein content varied significantly based on flower color, exhibiting higher levels in cultivars with orange petals. Otherwise, the levels of quercetin derivatives displayed distinct differences based on varieties other than color, with Inca cultivars demonstrating higher levels of quercetin 7-O-glucoside (Q7G) than Durango cultivars. In HAD, the lutein levels show a tendency to increase above 60 °C regardless of the cultivar. The content of quercetin glycosides decreased, while the aglycone increased in HAD treatments, regardless of the temperatures. Correlation and PCA results highlighted the impact of phenol compounds on antioxidant activity. Overall, these findings underscore the significance of variety and color in determining the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of marigold flowers. Full article

Salinity is an increasing problem worldwide that limits crop production. The cultivation of salt-tolerant flowers is a potential sustainable strategy for the exploitation of saline soils while avoiding the use of freshwater resources. However, our understanding of how flowers can adapt to salinity is still limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of salinity on a widely-used ornamental plant (Tagetes patula) by submitting three cultivars (cv. Aurora Orange, Fireball, Safari Scarlet) to different salinity levels (0, 50, 100, 300 mM). The plants were grown under controlled conditions and followed over two weeks. We tested the effect of salinity on plant growth and flower production, as well as on the levels of total carotenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxidase activity, ascorbate peroxidase). The findings indicate a substantial decline in both plant growth and flower production under saline conditions. Overall, plant height was ¼ lower, and there were 1/3 less flowers under salinity. Additionally, there was a consistent rise in antioxidant compounds, highlighting the swift response of defense mechanisms, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic, to combat stress. The high levels of antioxidant compounds sustain the use of marigold flowers as a new source of nutritional compounds, with enriched nutritional contents. Yet, cultivation of these plants in saline conditions should carefully consider the pronounced adverse effects observed at high salinity levels (e.g., 100 and 300 mM) on both plant and flower production. Full article

A correct cultivation technique supported by scientific evidence that leads to high-quality standards can promote sustainable floriculture. It is urgent to find alternative solutions to the widely used chemical fertilizers and evaluate the effectiveness of other fertilizers. The liquid organic ones, already in use in organic vegetable farming, could be a good substitute if supplied together with growth-promoting products such as microbial biostimulants. In the hope of replacing the traditional chemicals with a more sustainable organic-based fertilization, the present investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of a microbial biostimulant and various combinations of organic and mineral fertilization on morphological characteristics and physiological parameters of Tagetes patula L. and Ageratum houstonianum Mill. The plants were grown in pots with a substrate inoculated or not with the microbial biostimulant and were fertigated with nutrient solutions at different concentrations of elements from mineral and/or organic sources. Six fertilization formulas were adopted: control (only water without fertilizer), 100% mineral fertilization, 50% mineral fertilization, 100% organic fertilization, 50% organic fertilization, and 50% mineral + 50% organic fertilization. For the organic fertilization, a commercial liquid fertilizer admitted in organic farming with 3-2-5.5 NPK with 3% organic nitrogen was used. Mineral fertilization was formulated to match the organic solution as closely as possible. We observed an improvement in ornamental value (stem diameter and shoot number) with the biostimulant inoculum. Generally, the 50% mineral and 50% organic fertilization did not negatively influence the morphological characteristics. The reduction by 50% in the mineral nutrients and the integration of this reduction with an organic fertilizer was feasible to produce potted plants of these species during spring in the Mediterranean area. Full article

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) flower petals are the most vital sources of carotenoids, especially lutein esters, for the production of natural lutein to use for food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries. Several marigold cultivars are cultivated globally; however, their lutein ester composition and contents have not been widely investigated. Considering this, this study aimed to identify and quantify prominent carotenoid esters from the flower petals of ten marigold cultivars by liquid chromatography (LC)–diode-array detection (DAD)–mass spectrometry (MS). In addition, tocopherols, phytosterols, and fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)–flame ionization detection (FID) and GC–MS. Furthermore, the 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS^•+) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) radical scavenging abilities of lipophilic extracts were determined. The total carotenoid contents varied significantly (p < 0. 05, Tukey HSD) among cultivars, ranging from 25.62 (cv. Alaska)–2723.11 µg/g fresh weight (cv. Superboy Orange). Among the five major lutein-diesters, (all-E)-lutein-3-O-myristate-3′-O-palmitate and lutein dipalmitate were predominant. Among the studied cultivars, α-tocopherol was recorded, ranging from 167.91 (cv. Superboy Yellow) to 338.50 µg/g FW (cv. Taishan Orange). Among phytosterols, β-sitosterol was the most prevalent phytosterol, ranging between 127.08 (cv. Superboy Yellow) and 191.99 µg/g FW (cv. Taishan Yellow). Palmitic acid (C_16:0; 33.36–47.43%) was the most dominant among the fatty acids. In this study, the highest contents of lutein were recorded from cv. Superboy Orange; however, due to the substantially higher flower petal yield, the cv. Durango Red can produce the highest lutein yield of 94.45 kg/ha. These observations suggest that cv. Durango Red and cv. Superboy Orange are the ideal candidates for lutein fortification in foods and also for commercial lutein extraction. Full article

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of sewage sludge (SS) amendment on the growth, yield, and biochemical attributes of the marigold (Tagetes erecta L. var. Pusa Basanti Gainda) crop. For this purpose, marigold flowers were cultivated using three different treatments of SS, i.e., 0% (control with no SS), 5%, and 10%. Multiple linear regression (MLR) modeling was performed to develop prediction models for the impact of soil properties on heavy metals uptake by marigold plants. The results showed that the growth, yield, and biochemical attributes of marigold plants significantly (p < 0.05) increased with an increase in SS dose from 0 to 10%. The most feasible SS treatment was found to be 10%, which achieved a maximum flower yield of 318.42 g/plant. On the other hand, the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values (>1) showed that the marigold plant was capable of uptaking significant contents of six heavy metals in the order of Cd < Cr < Cu < Zn < Mn < Fe. The MLR-based predictive models were capable of precisely predicting the contents of most heavy metal uptake by marigold plants as indicated by the coefficient of determination (R² > 0.73), model efficiency (ME > 0.49), root mean square error (RMSE < 3.25), and analysis of variance (ANOVA; p < 0.05) results. Overall, this study presented a novel approach to floriculture by sustainable management of SS while reducing public health and environmental impacts. Full article

The phytoextraction ability and responses of sunn hemp, sunflower, and marigold plants were investigated toward carbaryl insecticide at 10 mg L⁻¹ and its degradative product (1-naphthol). All test plants exhibited significant carbaryl removal capability (65–93%) with different mechanisms. Marigold had the highest translocation factor, with carbaryl taken up, translocated and accumulated in the shoots, where it was biotransformed into 1-naphthol. Consequently, marigold had the least observable toxicity symptoms caused by carbaryl and the highest bioconcentration factor (1848), indicating its hyperaccumulating capability. Sunflower responded to carbaryl exposure differently, with the highest carbaryl accumulation (8.7 mg kg⁻¹) in roots within 4 days of cultivation, leading to a partial toxicity effect. Sunn hemp exhibited severe toxicity, having the highest carbaryl accumulation (91.7 mg kg⁻¹) that was biotransformed to 1-naphthol in the sunn hemp shoots. In addition, the different models were discussed on plant hormone formation in response to carbaryl exposure. Full article

The present study addresses the potential of marigold cultivation in terms of income and employment effects in the subtropical region of Jammu. Within the field research, we have surveyed 100 marigold farmers from Jammu and Kathua districts of Jammu Region. The region is of special interest in terms of economic development due to disproportional unemployment rate and high level of poverty. The study finds that marigold cultivation exhibits strong employment and income linkages. Marigold cultivation generates employment opportunities of 124.84 man-days (MD) in a season in comparison to 85.37 MD of rice and 49.58 MDs of wheat. Hence, marigold farming could create more and better-paid rural employment possibilities for peasants and lead to a substantial reduction of the poverty headcount ratios. Furthermore, the Cobb–Douglas production function-based econometric specification shows that farmyard manure (FYM), fertilizers, plant protection, and machine hours have a statistically significant positive effect on marigold yield. The second source of the growth of marigold cultivation is the replacement of subsistence farming with a focus on wheat and rice by marigold farming. We find that this kind of growth does not endanger food security in Jammu and Kathua districts. On the contrary, the growing level of income of the rural population could enhance market demand and a greater willingness to pay for the local agri-food sector and assure a greater level of food security. Full article

Microalgae are competitive and commercial sources for health-benefit carotenoids. In this study, a Chromochloris zofingiensis mutant (Cz-pkg), which does not shut off its photosystem and stays green upon glucose treatment, was generated and characterized. Cz-pkg was developed by treating the algal cells with a chemical mutagen as N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and followed by a color-based colony screening approach. Cz-pkg was found to contain a dysfunctional cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). By cultivated with CO₂ aeration under mixotrophy, the mutant accumulated lutein up to 31.93 ± 1.91 mg L⁻¹ with a productivity of 10.57 ± 0.73 mg L⁻¹ day⁻¹, which were about 2.5- and 8.5-fold of its mother strain. Besides, the lutein content of Cz-pkg could reach 7.73 ± 0.52 mg g⁻¹ of dry weight, which is much higher than that of marigold flower, the most common commercial source of lutein. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that in the mutant Cz-pkg, most of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of lutein and chlorophylls were not down-regulated upon glucose addition, suggesting that PKG may regulate the metabolisms of photosynthetic pigments. This study demonstrated that Cz-pkg could serve as a promising strain for both lutein production and glucose sensing study. Full article

The main focus of the study was to determine the content of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and organic acids in the flowers of Tagetes patula ‘Petite Gold’ and ‘Petite Orange’. The growth of the plants was assessed depending on the cultivation conditions. The above plants were illuminated with white light, whereas the ‘Petite Gold’ ones with white light enhanced with blue or red light. Both cultivars grew in a two-level-mineral compounds organic substrate. The research showed that the French marigold flowers were rich in phenolic compounds and organic acids. The ‘Petite Gold’ flowers had more bioactive compounds compared with the ‘Petite Orange’ flowers. Three flavonoids, 10 phenolic acids and seven organic acids were found in the ‘Petite Gold’ flowers. The artificial lighting used during the cultivation of the plants showed diversified influence on the content of organic compounds in their flowers. The measurements of the plants’ morphological traits and the number of inflorescences showed that illumination with red light resulted in a better effect. Large plants with numerous inflorescences grew in the substrate with a lower content of nutrients. Full article

Lutein is particularly known to help maintain normal visual function by absorbing and attenuating the blue light that strikes the retina in our eyes. The effect of overexposure to blue light on our eyes due to the excessive use of electronic devices is becoming an issue of modern society due to insufficient dietary lutein consumption through our normal diet. There has, therefore, been an increasing demand for lutein-containing dietary supplements and also in the food industry for lutein supplementation in bakery products, infant formulas, dairy products, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, and juice concentrates. Although synthetic carotenoid dominates the market, there is a need for environmentally sustainable carotenoids including lutein production pathways to match increasing consumer demand for natural alternatives. Currently, marigold flowers are the predominant natural source of lutein. Microalgae can be a competitive sustainable alternative, which have higher growth rates and do not require arable land and/or a growth season. Currently, there is no commercial production of lutein from microalgae, even though astaxanthin and β-carotene are commercially produced from specific microalgal strains. This review discusses the potential microalgae strains for commercial lutein production, appropriate cultivation strategies, and the challenges associated with realising a commercial market share. Full article

Nutrient cycling of the coffee ecosystem is often characterized by nutrient losses during the harvest, tree’s growth, leaching and erosion. The “Coffee Rejuvenation Strategies in Vietnam” has risked not being complete on schedule, with the low survival rate of seedlings on replanted soil, due to the nutrient loss and imbalance supplements after a long-term of monoculture and intensive cultivation. In this study, measures, including biochemical and organic treatments were applied to replanted coffee farm, in order to supplement the loss of nutrient cycling. Survival rate, growth indicators, and soil properties from the controls and treatments, were monitored and compared during the experimental periods. The results suggested the optimal tillage model as follow: Remove old coffee trees with their stumps and roots; liming 1.5 tons/ha; dry tillage soil for the first 6 months; Intercrop Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta) with new coffee plants for the next 6 months; From the second year, apply 5 kg of microbial organic fertilizer /hole/year; bury 30 kg of green manure/hole/2–3 years; apply NPK fertilizers according to the governmental recommended procedure. This would be a proposed integrating tillage method to supplement the lost nutrients and restore the fertility of replanted coffee soil in Vietnam. Full article