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116 Farsad Nadjafi and Mohammad Reza Kanani
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production. High humidity, cloudy weather, too much dew, and unseasonal rain after flowering, on the other hand, are detrimen­tal to yield (Khosh-Khui and Bonyanpour, 201 0).
Seeds are used for cultivation. The plant can be cultivated in temperate regions in au­tumn and in cold regions in spring. Novem­ber is a good time for autumn sowing, while spring planting is done in March. Autumn planting usually results to higher seed yield and essential oil content. The superiority of autumn planting was attributed to a better establishment of plants by using autumn precipitations and also lower extent of dis­eases (Rezvani Moghaddam et al., 2014). Between 12 and 15 kg of high-quality seeds are required per hectare. Seed depth depend­ing on soil texture is between 1.5 and 2 cm, and seeds are directly planted in the ground. Seeds should be soaked in water for 24–36 h to enhance the growing power (Faravani,
2004). Alam (2007) suggested that the use of bioinoculant Azospirillum or Azotobactor and seed priming for 8 h followed by shade
(By Farsad Nadjafi.)
drying before sowing improves germination; whereas Lal etal. (2014) suggested that seed
Turkey; but it is also cultivated in Morocco, South Russia, Japan, Indonesia, Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Malta, Spain and on a small scale in Central America (Tuncturk and Tuncturk, 2006). Cumin fruits contain fatty oil (approxi­mately 10% w/w), essential oil (1–5% w/w), protein, cellulose, sugar, and minerals (Li and Jiang, 2004). Volatile oil contains mono­terpene hydrocarbons (α-pinene, β-pinene, ρ-cymene, and γ-terpinene) and various oxygenated monoterpenes (1,8-cineole, cuminaldehyde, cuminyl alcohol, and safra­nal) (Gachkar et al., 2007; Rebey e tal., 2012). The main compound of cumin oil is cumin aldehyde (p-isopropyl benzaldehyde) with its content varying, depending on the indi­vidual extraction method (Behera et al.,
2004) and geographic origin, between less than 20% w/w and more than 40% w/w (Lawrence, 1992).
Cumin needs a Mediterranean climate with long and sunny days. The optimum growth temperature ranges between 25 and 30°C. The plants require a moderately cool and dry climate for good growth and
treatment with Bavistin (2.5 g/kg) and Trichoderma viride (4 g/kg) and drying in shade in an airtight container for some hours before sowing improves germination percentage. It was also found that applica­tion of seed treatment reduces the chances of disease attacks. The control of wilt and cumin blight disease can be done by the seed treatment with Trichoderma asperellum and Bavistin (Trivedi etal., 2019). The soil con­dition also plays a significant role in prod­uctivity of the crop. The most suitable soil for cumin cultivation is sandy to loamy soil with proper drainage, adequate aeration, and high oxygen availability. The preferred pH range of soil is 6.8 to 8.3 (Lal, 2018). Cumin seedlings are highly susceptible to salinity. The land required for cumin should be leveled and well pulverized. The land should be well prepared for better germin­ation of seeds and growth of plants. A total of three or four ploughings is required. The first ploughing should be done by a soil-turning plough followed by two or three ploughing with a harrow to bring the soil to a fine tilth. At the time of sowing there should be good
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moisture in the soil for better germination of the seeds (Lal etal., 2014).
The best cultivation method of cumin is the line sowing method in shallow furrows at a spacing of 20 to 25 cm (Kumar et al., 2021).
After sowing, the first operation is to provide moisture to the soil for proper ger­mination of seeds. The water requirement is 335 mm, throughout the crop cycle (Khajeh­pour, 1986). Irrigation should begin imme­diately after sowing and continue at 8- to 10-day intervals. The first irrigation should not be too heavy; otherwise, it would result in uneven distribution of germination (plants). The emergence of seedlings starts after the second irrigation, which is given at 10 days after the first irrigation, although, if the temperature at daytime is high or there is a dry spell, an additional irrigation may be required after 4 to 5 days for complete ger­mination. Later, based on the individual weather conditions and soil type, the fre­quency of irrigation should be kept between 20 and 30 days. It was found that irrigation plays a crucial role at the time of flowering to seed-filling stage (Karimi, 1989). Hence, proper irrigation is to be given during this time period. The final irrigation should be slightly heavy at the time of seed formation to supply moisture at maturity stage.
The irrigation management is import­ant for proper and uniform germination. Ir­rigation management using sprinklers, spe­cifically in undulating areas of western Rajasthan (India), has played a significant role in increasing yield and quality (Ravin­dran etal., 2006; Sundria etal., 2014). Intro­ducing modern methods of irrigation such as micro irrigation, drip systems, and sprinkler systems improves the water use efficiency and saves water for healthy crop production.
The optimal nutrient requirement should be met by applying the appropriate amount of fertilizers. During land prepar­ation, application of farmyard manure at 1520 t/ha should be given as basal dose. Thereafter, the recommended fertilizer dose per hectare is 30 kg of nitrogen (N) and 20 kg of phosphorus (P) (P
2003). N can be applied in single dose at
) (Ehteramian,
2O5
30 days after sowing (DAS) or in two equiva­lent doses at 30 and 60 DAS (Hornok, 1992).
It was found that the split applications of fertilizers as per recommendations en­hanced the nutrient use efficiency with in­creased yield level (Ravindran etal., 2006).
After, irrigation and fertilization, weed­ing plays an important role in increasing the productivity. Therefore, proper weeding should be done at right time. The first weed­ing and hoeing should be performed 30 to 40 DAS or when the plants have reached a height of 4–5 cm. If weeds reappear, another one or two hoeings and weedings will aid in better crop growth (Kumar etal., 2021).
Cumin is sensitive to diseases like wilt, powdery mildew, and blight. Fusarium wilt is a seed- or soil-borne disease; it needs spe­cific soil temperatures for epidemics to de­velop. It can reduce yield by up to 80% (Dar et al., 2019). On the other hand, powdery mildew disease can cause severe yield losses in early development stage due to poor seed formation and, at a later stage, it can cause discolored tiny seeds. The blight disease ap­pears as brownish spots on leaves and stems. Generally, the disease is more susceptible to cloudy weather and after flowering stage. A seed treatment by Captan at 2 g/kg of seed can be effective in controlling these diseases. Spraying the plants twice with zineb at 300 g/100 l of water is also effective in con­trolling this disease.
Along with disease, insect attack also hampers the productivity of cumin crop. Aphid (Myzus persicae) is an important in­sect, which attacks mostly at flowering stage. This insect feeds on plant sap from tender parts and flowers. The plant becomes yellowish in color and formation of seed is reduced, the quality of the produce is also degraded as well. Aphid can be controlled by spraying Rogor at 1 ml/l of water. Other major pests include mites, which regularly invade crops and feed mostly on young leaves; the infestation is more intense on young inflorescences. Disease and pest man­agement by an integrated approach using both bioagents and pesticides is effective in management of wilt, blight, powdery mil­dew, and aphids that cause the most devas­tating biotic stresses in cumin crop (Israel and Lodha, 2004; Khare etal., 2014). For the future, new varieties with multiple resistances
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to various diseases and pests such as wilt, blight, powdery mildew, and aphids need to be developed.
The crop is harvested when it turns yel­low, leaves fall down, and seeds turn light grayish-brown. The cumin crop matures in 90–140 days (Balandari, 1994). The plants are harvested with hand tools such as sickles. However, attempts have been made in re­cent years to modify available harvesters for this purpose (Rahimi, 1993). After harvest
­ing, threshing is done by threshers or manu­ally. After harvesting and threshing, cumin seeds are dried in the sun up to a moisture level of 8.5–9% w/w. Seed yields range from 800 to 1000 kg/ha, depending on the indi­vidual variety, agro-management, and eco­logical conditions (Kumar etal., 2021).
Damask rose (Rosa × damascena Mill.)
The genus Rosa, belonging to the Rosaceae family, includes more than 200 species and 18,000 cultivars (Gudin, 2000). One of the most important Rosa species is damask rose (Rosa × damascena Mill.), a deciduous shrub growing to 2.2 m tall that has a barbed stem, pinnate leaves with five leaflets, and fra­grant pink to light red flowers. This shrub is probably a hybrid from R. gallica L. and R. moschata Herrm. Damask rose is one of the most important medicinal, aromatic, and ornamental plants, cultivated not only for its characteristic fragrance but also for its medicinal properties in many areas of the world such as Bulgaria, Turkey, India, and Iran (Tabaei-Aghdaei et al., 2007; Yousefi et al., 2009). Damask rose is used for the production of the hydrodistilled essential rose oil, rose water, rose concrete, and abso­lute, which are extremely valuable and important raw materials for the perfume, cosmetics, and flavor industries (Ayci etal.,
2005). The main producers of rose oil are Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, and India (Rusanov etal., 2009). In addition to its use in the fla­vor and fragrance industries, several other important pharmaceutical properties of dam­ask rose oil have been reported such as anti­HIV (Mahmood et al., 1996), antibacterial
(Basim and Basim, 2003), antioxidant (Achuthan etal., 2003; Ozkan etal., 2004), anticancer (Ren et al., 2003), and laxative (Gholamhoseinian etal., 2010) activities. In Iran, different genotypes of this plant occur in nature (Tabaei Aghdaei etal., 2003) and are widely distributed at an altutude of 300 to 3500 m above sea level (Tabaei Aghdaei et al., 2005). The various genotypes differ greatly in terms of flower yield (Tabaei Agh­daei and Rezaei, 2002), essential oil content and composition (Tabaei Aghdaei et al., 2003), propagation and rooting (Tabaei Aghdaei and Rezaei, 2000), morphology, phenology, and resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses (Tabaei Aghdaei and Babaei, 2001).
Iran, along with Turkey and Bulgaria, are largest producers of damask roses in the world. The area under cultivation was 18,000 ha in 2016. More than 85% of the cultivation area is located in Fars, Kerman, Isfahan, and East Azerbaijan provinces (Salehi Sardoei,
2022). The livelihood of many farmers in these regions is entirely related to cultivation and processing of this crop (Fig. 2.82). Iran has been mentioned as one of the countries of origin, and cultivation as well as consump­tion of R. × damascena has a long history in the country (Rusanov etal., 2009). A consid­erable part of R. × damascena cultivation and suitable areas for the development of cultiva­tion are located in semiarid and cool areas of Iran, including the provinces of Kurdistan, East Azerbaijan, and Zanjan.
Due to the work-intensive production of rose oil and the low oil content of rose flowers, rose oil is considered one of the most expensive essential oils; nevertheless, global demand for high-quality rose oil is ex­pected to increase in the near future (Probir and Rakesh, 2013). More than 400 volatile compounds have been identified in the floral scent of various rose cultivars until now, which can be classified into five major chem­ical groups: hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, aromatic ethers, and some others (including aldehydes, rose oxides, and norisoprenes) (Lavid etal., 2002). Citronellol, nonadecane, geraniol, ethanol, heneicosane, nerol, and 1-nonadecene are reported as the major constituents of R. × damascena essential oil (Ozel etal., 2006; Verma etal., 2011). In
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(By Farsad Nadjafi.)
addition, literature indicates that environ­mental factors such as annual rainfall, tem­perature, humidity, light, soil, pruning, nutrient supply, harvesting time (Prakasa Rao etal., 1995; Sangwan etal., 2001; Mirali etal., 2012; Probir and Rakesh, 2013), years, and cultivars (Bayrak and Akgül, 1994) have significant effects on rose oil quality. Fur­thermore, flower ontogeny and growing site (Verma etal., 2011), flower stages, flower parts, harvesting date and fermentation period (Weiss, 1997; Baydar and Baydar, 2005; Verma etal., 2011), extraction tech­niques (Ozel etal., 2006), storing and drying treatments (Koksal et al., 2015), and pres­sure and temperature during distillation (Kiran et al., 2002) can affect the oil content and composition. For example, Kiran etal. (2002) reported that the monoterpene hy­drocarbons and esters were found to be in traces, and stearoptene content was found to be higher in the oil distilled under high
pressure, as compared to rose oil produced under atmospheric pressure. Verma et al. (2011) showed that oil content and compos­ition can be different among damask rose cultivars. Yousefi and Jaimand (2018) re­ported that the average essential oil yield of the studied damask rose landraces in Iran is about 0.01% w/w and attributed this finding in particular to the drier environmental con­ditions. The individual extraction method also affects oil yield and oil components. Lawrence (1991), for example, stated found that the yield was about ten times higher with solvent extraction than with steam dis­tillation. The main objective of damask rose cultivation in many countries such as Tur­key, Bulgaria, India, and France is to extract the essential oil from the flower (Babu etal.,
2002); in this context, the breeding of new rose varieties with higher oil yield and opti­mal composition is of particular importance. In general, the main components of rose oil
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are the most important parameters that determine the quality of the product; there­fore, the attention toward development of essential oil quantity and quality can be con­sidered an important objective for improv­ing essential oil yield of this species. The percentage of major components is one of the important parameters that determines the quality of rose oil (Boelens and Boelens,
1997). Good-quality rose oil should have a higher amount of monoterpene alcohols and a lower proportion of alkanes (Baser, 1992).
Nowadays, use of rose oil in pharma­ceutical industries is steadily increasing. The content and relative compositions of the major components are the key parameters to determining the quality of rose oil (Nikolov etal., 1977), which is chiefly governed by the genotype, ecological and agronomical fac­tors. Nevertheless, R. × damascena is adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions.
In the main damask rose-growing re­gion (Kazanlik) of Bulgaria, an average spring temperature of 5–15°C is considered as opti­mum (Oyen and Dung, 1999). If low night­time temperature of 10–12°C prevails dur­ing flowering stage, the oil synthesis reduces considerably. However, a low temperature during two weeks before flowering enhances the quality and quantity of R. × damascena flowers. The ideal temperature for growing of most of the roses is 19–27°C. Weiss (1997) found that a longer period in spring with an average temperature of 5–15°C en
­sures a large number of flowers per plant with a high oil content.
Low light intensity with low tempera­ture and 88% relative humidity can increase the R. × damascena flower yield and its quan- tity and quality of essential oil (Misra etal.,
2002). During spring and early summer, 70% humidity is optimum for good harvest of damask rose. Roses do well in slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soils with a pH be­tween 6.0 and 7.5, whereas an acidic soil in­hibits plant growth and reduces flower yield, probably due to an imbalance of micronu­trients. Brichet (2003) reported that rose plant is sensitive to saline and alkaline soil. Although R. × damascena does not like wa­terlogging, porous soils are generally unsuit­able in low-rainfall areas. Poorly drained
soils may lead to root diseases and nutrient deficiencies (Karlik etal., 2003).
Rose plants can be propagated by either the sexual method or the vegetative method. Seed is generally used for propagation of the species, new cultivars, and for production of rootstocks (Hornok, 1992). The perfumery and cosmetics industries are considerate to procure rose oil of consistent quality. Vege
­tative propagation, therefore, is the most vital and sole method to produce true-to
­type planting material. That is why R. × dam- ascena is mostly vegetatively propagated, to produce consistent-quality essential oil. Generally, the damask rose is propagated by stem cutting, budding, and grafting (Hud­son etal., 2002). Stem cutting is the easy method for rose multiplication (Anderson and Woods, 1999). The establishment and growth rate of the cutting depend upon many factors like season of cutting, age and portion of the branch, growth media, mois­ture, and nutrient status (Khan etal., 2006). About 20–25 cm long and 0.75–1.25 cm thick stem cuttings are prepared from 1-year-old stems, which begin to lignify. In India, the ideal time of deriving the cutting is November–December. Root initiation starts after 3 months of planting of cutting, and the sprouted cuttings are ready for transplant into the main field in about 9–12 months. The prevailing environmental conditions like light, temperature, and rela­tive humidity play a vital role for rooting and subsequent growth and development of cut­tings. Bredmose etal. (2004) reported that a temperature of 24.6°C is optimal to enhance the root growth of cuttings.
Damask rose is an exhaustive crop and requires abundant plant nutrients. In Bul­garia, it was estimated that 64 kg of N,
8.7 kg of P, and 36 kg of potassium (K) are annually applied per hectare on rose fields and the harvested flowers contain about 3% w/w N, 0.34% w/w P, and 1% w/w K (Koseva,
1978). Today, it is well known that quantity of flowers and oil yield of roses are closely correlated with the NPK levels in the leaf at bud development stage (Orlova, 1984). A good crop requires 200 kg N/ha, which is applied in two equal doses particularly in saline alkaline soil (Srivastava, 1975). Generally,
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N is applied in two equal doses, half at the time of pruning and the other half 15 days later.
In Kashmir Valley, in India, application of 200 kg N, 100 kg P2O5, and 50 kg K2O per hectare and year has been found to provide high flower production in damask rose (Jhon et al., 1992). Jhon etal. (1992) also found maximum shoot length with N at 200 kg/ha over 100 kg/ha. Increase in the length of shoots due to higher dose of N and P ap­plication has also been reported in R. × dam- ascena var. trigentipetala (Tajuddin et al.,
1986). Khoshgoftarmanesh et al. (2008) reported that micronutrient treatments reduced mildew infection in rose plants. Various effects of micronutrients on dis­eases and pests have also been reported (Marschner, 1995). Zinc plays an important role in enhancing tolerance of rose cultivars to the biotic stress of mildew infection (Kho­shgoftarmanesh etal., 2008).
Adequate water supply is essential throughout the vegetative and flowering periods of R. × damascena cultivation. In total, 10–12 irrigations are required for R. × damascena in a year. During the rainy sea­son, it may not be necessary to irrigate the plants. However, frequency of irrigation during summer may be once weekly, and in winter it may be once fortnightly. Irrigation just after pruning is essential. Drip irriga­tion is most effective. Sprinkler irrigation is also efficient in terms of water use effi­ciency, but it encourages the infection by leaf diseases (Porter etal., 1987).
Pruning seems to affect both morpho­logical as well as yield parameters in R. × damascena (Paul etal., 1995). Annual prun­ing is essential to attain proper shape of bushes and promote branches. In Bulgaria, light to moderate pruning increased the flower yield and flower oil content, whereas heavy pruning reduced both (Astadzhov etal., 1986). Nevertheless, Hassanein (2010) reported that light and medium pruning were better than the heavy pruning in terms of petal weight and oil content, respectively. Although pruning time is mainly governed by the climate of the place, pruning of R. × damascena is usually done from October to January in different regions of India. The pruned plants take 70–90 days to flower
after pruning. Time of flowering can be ad­justed through date of pruning. However, Saffari etal. (2004) reported that the time of pruning did not affect the petal oil content. Pruning at the beginning of autumn im­proved flower quality and essential oil con­tent (Hassanein, 2010). Damask roses are generally pruned annually. Astadzhov etal. (1986) reported that pruning once every 3 years is acceptable in terms of cost and flower yield. This cultural practice is useful in removing photosynthetic old parts and re
­generates new healthy photosynthetic parts, subsequently increasing flower production.
R. × damascena is a deciduous shrub bearing a fewer number of leaves and branches during the initial 2 or 3 years. Thus, it faces severe weed infestation throughout the year. R. × damascena is more vulnerable to competition by weeds during the initial period of establishment of rooted stem cut­tings in the field.
As mentioned before, the common way of propagation of damask rose is stem cut­ting. This method is very slow and time­consuming, and usually associated with vari­ous problems, such as limitation of stock plant and prolonged nursery stage (Skirvin etal., 1990). In this context, tissue culture is employed for achieving faster rates of multi­plication (Pati etal., 2001; Kapchina-Toteva et al., 2002). The tissue culture techniques for rapid multiplication have often resulted in superior-quality planting material (Billir,
1999). Different features of tissue culture propagation systems for R. × damascena have been described by several researchers (Jab­barzadeh and Khosh-Khui, 2005; Nikbakht etal., 2005).
Flowering is the economic part of R. × damascena. The harvest period is short and depends on the prevailing weather condi­tions. In a cool and cloudy spring, it may continue for about 1 month, while in hot seasons it may last only for 16–20 days (Perry, 1925). The flowering period depends directly on the climatic conditions, but is usually completed after 20–25 days. In India, the main flowering season in the northern plains takes place during March and April, while in the hills it starts a little later in April and May. The ideal stage of harvesting is
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blossoming stage. Lawrence (1991) reports that the oil content in the flower is higher when the petals start to swell and two or three petals begin to open.
The flower harvesting should be started before dawn and should be stopped when the sun dries the dew on the flower. The oil con­tent is significantly lower if the flowers are picked after 9 a.m. (Igolen, 1966). High tem­perature during harvest reduces the oil con­tent of flowers (Baydar and Baydar, 2005) due to evaporation of essential oil from the trichomes of the petals (Weiss, 1997). The rose petals generally contain very little essen­tial oil compared to other essential oil crops. One kilogram of rose oil can be obtained from about 3000 kg of rose petals (Baser, 1992), so oil content is only about 0.03% w/w. In the beginning stage of harvest, 4000 kg of flowers are required to obtain 1 kg of oil (Garnero and Buil, 1976). Oil composition varies to a large extent over the flowering stages, which is due to the different photosynthesic rates of vari­ous parts of the plants (Weiss, 1997). Mi­hailova etal. (1997) have also reported that the oil composition varies according to the flowering stages, flower parts, and the har­vesting periods. The stage at which flowers are picked is not only an important factor for the oil yield but also for the quality of the oil. The results of some studies (Misra et al., 2002; Baydar and Baydar, 2005) show that environmental conditions affect the quantity and quality of flowers and essential oil. Vari
­ations in yield and quality of essential oil may be due to different harvesting and distillation techniques (Bayrak and Akgül, 1994). It was also reported that the effect of storage tem­perature between 0 and 3°C on oil content was not significant, whereas the effect of storage duration was significant (Kazaz etal.,
2009). Kazaz et al. (2009) reported that the highest essential oil content (0.043% w/w) was obtained from petals distilled immedi­ately after harvest, while the lowest oil con­tent (0.022% w/w) was obtained from petals stored for 28 days. Although flower yield depends on genetic and climatic factors, agronomic management is the key factor in determining flower yield. There is a direct correlation between the level of crop manage­ment and yield.
The average annual flower yield in Bul­garia, Iran, and India is 2000–3000 kg/ha; in Turkey, 2000–2500 kg/ha; and in Russia, 1500–2000 kg/ha. However, the yields are not directly comparable as different culti­vars are involved. The improved cultivars of damask rose developed at the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) in Palampur, India, provide a flower yield of 4000–5000 kg/ha (Kaul etal., 1999). Gener­ally, flower yield follows a linear pattern up to 5 or 7 years from the date of transplant­ation, although the economic life of an R. × damascena plantation is 10–12 years.
Collection of Some Important Wild
Medicinal Plants of Iran
Tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer)
Gum tragacanth is the second most import­ant commercial gum worldwide, produced by several shrubby plants of the genus As- tragalus that are distributed from Pakistan to Greece, particulary in Iran and Turkey (Anderson, 1989). The genus Astragalus, be­longing to the Papilionaceae family, com­prises about 2500 species worldwide, dis­tributed mainly in the Near East and the Middle East but also common in southern Europe (Wahhabi, 2005). Astragalus gummifer is considered to be the main tragacanth­yielding species. It is a small branching thorny shrub with a height of 30–60 cm. Some species such as Astragalus echidnaeformis Sirjaev, Astragalus gossypinus Fisch., Astrag- alus kurdicus Boiss., and Astragalus versus are usually mentioned as a source of tragacanth. The better gum-yielding species are small, low, bushy perennials, frequently with a cushion-like form.
Among them, A. gossypinus (Fig. 2.83), which produces a high-quality gum, is a low, spreading bush with a height of 8–12 cm (Yazdanshenas etal., 2014). The exudate is produced spontaneously on the bark of the shrub, but the yield is often increased by cutting into the bark. Gum tragacanth is ob­tained by tapping the branches and tap roots. The gum dries as it exudes and is
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quickly collected. The word tragacanth comes from the Greek meaning “goat’s horn”, which probably describes the appearance and texture of the crude gum. Tragacanth contains 20 to 30% v/v of a water-soluble frac­tion called tragacanthin (consisting of traga­canthic acid and arabinogalactan). It also contains 60 to 70% v/v of a water-insoluble fraction called bassorin. Tragacanthic acid is composed of d-galacturonic acid, d-xylose, l-fructose, d-galactose, and other sugars. Tragacanthin is composed of uronic acid and arabinose and dissolves in water to form a viscous colloidal solution, while bassorin swells to form a thick gel (Leung, 1980).
Tragacanth gum is a viscous, odorless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysac­charides obtained from the sap extracted from the root of the plant and dried. It ab­sorbs water to become a gel, which can be stirred into a paste. The most important
applications of tragacanth gum today are in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is also used in leather processing as an edge smoother and polishing agent and occasion­ally serves as a stiffening agent in textiles. Chemically, it is a complex mixture of acidic polysaccharides, mainly present in the form of calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts.
It is widely used in salad dressings and sauces, savory spreads, milk shakes, ice creams, and confectionery and bakery prod­ucts. It is one of the oldest gums in the world and its use dates back 5000 years (Anderson and Bridgeman,1985). In Trad­itional Persian medicine, traganth is used to improve the human immune system and to alleviate side effects of other pharma­ceuticals (Ameli, 1963).
Tragacanth swells rapidly in water to form highly viscous colloidal sols or semi-gels that act as protective colloids and stabilizing
124 Farsad Nadjafi and Mohammad Reza Kanani
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agents. The high viscosity of tragacanth so­lutions results from the molecular charac­teristics of the gum, which depend on the quality and physical form of the gum and how it is absorbed in water. The most im­portant applications of tragacanth today are now in foods and pharmaceuticals. Its use for other industrial purposes has declined over the years as cheaper alternatives to tragacanth have been developed. Tragacanth has long been an important gum for pharma
­ceutical purposes and was used as a binder, suspender, or emulsifier in tablets, ointments , lubricating jellies, and oral suspensions, and particularly in dermatologic creams and lotions. It is also used in toothpastes, hair lotions, and other personal care products.
The gum is exported from the country of origin in ribbon or flake form, and has a ra­ther horny texture. Robbins (1988) estimates the world market for tragacanth to be no more than 500 t/year; almost half of this is estimated to be consumed in Western Eur­ope. Iran and Turkey have been the only sig­nificant producers of tragacanth for some years, with Iran being the principal source. Tragacanth is bought from origin as ribbons or flakes; loss of viscosity of gum that has been powdered and stored for long periods means powdered tragacanth is always pro­duced in the importing country. Iranian tragacanth, which is generally regarded as su­perior to Turkish, is sold in about 12 different grades: five ribbons (Ribbon no. 1, Ribbon no. 2, etc.) and the remainder flake. Ribbon no. 1 is the top grade, being the palest and cleanest. Ribbon grades are usually used for pharma
­ceutical purposes; flake is used for food appli­cations. The lower flake grades are appre­ciably darker and contain some foreign matter (Coppen, 1995). Tragacanth is sold and specified by viscosity. There is an FAO specification for food-grade tragacanth that includes limits for arsenic, lead, and heavy metals, as well as some other parameters. Tragacanth is also specified in many pharma­copoeias for pharmaceutical use, including the British Pharmacopoeia (Coppen, 1995).
The better gum-yielding species are small, low, bushy perennials, frequently with a cushion-like shape. However, they have relatively large tap roots that are the
primary source of the gum. Gum-producing Astragalus species are distributed in the Iran-Turan mountains with poor flora and soil condition at altitudes of 1200 to 3100 m (Samsam Shariat, 1986). Also, habitats at altitudes of 3760–4000 m have been re­ported (Zarinkamar, 1997). Annual precipi­tation of 200–400 mm and thermal range of –10 to 36°C are the main charachteristics of their habitats in Iran (Zarinkamar, 1997).
The presently practiced harvest methods for tragacanth in Iran are incom­patible with the ecological and botanical re­quirements of this species and cause severe damage to the plant vegetation. In some areas plants are harvested in the first year of vegetation. Harvesting in the first year shortens the total period of sprouting and decreases the quality of the gum. In warm climates, the plants are harvested in May and in cold climates in June (Safar et al.,
1993). It is therefore recommended to con­sider a 2- to 4-year fallow period for plant recovey (Safar etal., 1993). Research studies have shown that the best harvesting method involves use of plants with a canopy diam­eter of more than 25 cm, a shallow incision, and avoiding cross-section incisions (Khos­rogerdi, 1999).
The most striking feature of the gum­producing Astragalus is a central gum cy­linder in the tap root, which is contained by the woody cylinder and may be as much as half the total diameter of the root. The gum is contained in the cylinder at high pressure and, when cut, exudes rapidly and hardens into the characteristic ribbons of tragacanth.
Some gum is collected from spontan­eous exudation but most is obtained by tap­ping. The process of tapping entails clearing away the earth surrounding the tap root and making one or two cuts into the upper part of the root. The cuts are usually made longi­tudinally or cross-angled to the root, 2–5 cm long. Sometimes the branches are also cut but this usually yields an inferior gum. After a period of time that varies according to local custom or circumstances, but may last a few days or a week or longer, the tapper returns to the plants that he has cut to col­lect the gum. Further collections may be
Botany, Collection, and Cultivation 125
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made thereafter but the quality of the gum soon deteriorates to a point when it is not worthwhile to continue. Flakes of gum, ra­ther than ribbons, are usually produced later in the season. Tapping is carried out in the dry summer months and continues until the autumn rains (Coppen, 1995). Several factors are effective on the amount of gum produc­tion such as climate and especially precipita­tion, soil factors, type of species, age of plants, and harvesting methods (Gentry, 1957; Hagiwara et al., 1992; Fahimi Poor et al., 2010). Based on experimental field work, Gentry (1957) estimated the average yield of gum from Astragalus microcephalus to be 15 g per 100-day tapping season. Yazdan
-
shenas etal. (2014) reported a gum yield of
1.19 to 2.42 g per plant in A. gossypinus.
Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida L.)
Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida L.) is the plant used for production of dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or the perrenial fleshy tap root. The plant grows 1 to 1.5 m tall, has deeply dissected leaves, and inconspicuous yellow flowers borne in compound umbels. The bark is wrinkled (Golmohammadi, 2013). As its name suggests, asafoetida has a fetid smell, but in cooked dishes, when diluted, it pro­vides a smooth flavor reminiscent of leeks. Since it is very strong in taste and odour, asafoetida is often blended with diluents such as starch and flour and sold in a com­pounded form. An essential oil can be dis­tilled from the oleoresin and finds minor use for flavoring purposes.
The genus Ferula (Apiaceae) consists of about 170 species worldwide, with 30 spe­cies found in Iran, of which 15 are endemic for the country (Mozaffarian, 2007). Its root is erect, succulent, and nearly thick. Its leaves are gray with short hairs. It is a mono­carp plant with schizocarp fruits, and it grows up to 1000 m above sea level (Krebs,
1989). Phytochemical analyses of F. assa- foetida confirmed the presence of 62% w/w of resin, 25% w/w of gum, 3–7% w/w of essential oil, 1.28% w/w of free sulfuric acid,
and small amounts of vanillin. Also, some novel compounds such as sesquiterpene cou­marin derivatives and sesquiterpene chro­mone derivatives have been isolated from the roots of F. assa-foetida. Their structures were established by comprehensive spectro­scopic analyses (Bahrami etal., 2013; Meng etal., 2013).
The raw material “asafoetida” is the oleoresin exudate obtained from certain Fer- ula species, particularly F. assa-foetida, which occur in Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, and sur­rounding areas. The product is one of the few examples (another one is tragacanth gum) of an exudate that is obtained by “tapping” the roots of a shrubby plant (Fig. 2.84). The in­tense, characteristic smell of the plant is mainly due to various sulfur compounds. Ex­tracts of asafoetida hing are used in spice blends and as a flavoring for meat sauces, pickles, curries, and other food products. The exudates from this plant are locally known as anghuzeh, heng, and buganeh and are traditionally applied for treatment of a vast range of diseases: urinary, gastrointes­tinal, respiratory infections, and epilepsy, but also as an aphrodisiac and an emmena­gogue. It is furthermore used to treat snake and insect bites as well as worm infections (Hadidi etal., 2003; Shweta etal., 2011).
F. assa-foetida is one of the most import­ant plants in arid regions of South Khorasan Province. Local beneficiaries in South Kho­rasan believe that they make a profit of US$1300–1500 annually for each family from harvesting and gum production. That is mainly the reason why this province ranks third in gum production in Iran (Golmoham­madi, 2013). Unfortunately, asafoetida habitats are decreasing every year, due to conventional and nonscientific harvesting methods. Conventional harvesting involves some steps such as identification in the re­gions, marking, twisting, cutting, and col­lecting the gum (Shinwari and Gilani, 2003; Golmohammadi, 2013). India is the main importer of asafoetida and the country im­ports 600 to 700 t annually, mostly from Iran and Afganistan (Coppen, 1995).
A study of the effect of different prun­ing methods on gum yield and survival of F. assa-foetida showed that the amount of sap