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Funneliformis mosseae inoculation under water deficit stress improves the yield and phytochemical characteristics of thyme in intercropping with soybean
- Source :
- Scientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2021), Scientific Reports
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Nature Portfolio, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Intercropping of medicinal plants/legumes along with bio-fertilizer application is a relatively new sustainable practice for improving the yield and secondary metabolites production. Here, a 2-years field experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of water deficit stress and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) application (as bio-fertilizer) on nutrients concentration, dry matter yield, essential oil quantity and quality of thyme in intercropping with soybean. Three irrigation levels, including (i) irrigation after depletion of 20% (I20) as non-stressed, 50% (I50) as moderate water deficit and 80% (I80) available water as severe water deficit were applied as the main factor. The sub-factor was represented by different cropping patterns including thyme sole culture, replacement intercrop ratio of 50:50 and 66:34 (soybean: thyme) and the third factor was non-usage (control) and usage of AMF. According to our results, the thyme dry yield under moderate and severe water deficit stress decreased by 35 and 44% in the first year, and by 27 and 40% in the second year compared with non-stressed (I20) plants, respectively. Also, the macro- and micro-nutrients of thyme leaves increased significantly in intercropping patterns after application of AMF. The maximum essential oil percentage of thyme was achieved in 50:50 intercropping ratio treated with AMF. Under moderate and severe water deficits, the major constituents of thyme essential oil including thymol, p-cymene and γ-terpinene were increased in intercropping patterns treated with AMF. Generally, AMF application in intercropping ratio of 50:50 may be proposed to farmers as an eco-friendly approach to achieve desirable essential oil quality and quantity in thyme under water deficit stress conditions.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Crops, Agricultural
Irrigation
Field experiment
Science
01 natural sciences
Plant Roots
Article
law.invention
Thymus Plant
03 medical and health sciences
chemistry.chemical_compound
Nutrient
law
Oils, Volatile
Dry matter
Thymol
Essential oil
Multidisciplinary
biology
Dehydration
Drought
Inoculation
030503 health policy & services
fungi
Fungi
Intercropping
biology.organism_classification
Plant Leaves
Horticulture
chemistry
Medicine
Soybeans
Secondary metabolism
0305 other medical science
010606 plant biology & botany
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20452322
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Scientific Reports
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6063c56d32a2eca59f2feb333376647e