Influence of foliar spraying with alfalfa plant extracts, soybean seed extracts and active dry yeast solution on vegtative growth and some biologically active components in echinacea purpurea plants

Abstract EN

The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of foliar spraying with some aqueous plant extracts (alfalfa plant, soybean seeds) and active dry yeast solution on vegetative growth and some biologically active components in Echinaceapurpure plant.

There were gradual and noticeable increases in herb and root dry weight / plant of Echinacea pursuer with increasing concentration of all tested foliar application.

Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium contents in herb and roots of Echinacea purported increased gradually with increasing the levels of various studied foliar application.

The foliar application using alfalfa plants and soybean seeds extract and active yeast solution caused an increase in total phenol contents in Echinacea herb and roots, where this increase in total phenol was more pronounced with the increasing in concentration of all foliar application during the two tested seasons.

GLC analysis revealed the existence of 13 compounds in the essential oil of Echinacea flowers heads.

Germacrene-D was the major constituents (23.09 %) followed by p-Pinene (15.11 %), Methyl chavicol (7.217 %).

and a-pinene (4.824 %) in addition to hexanol (3.494 %) and Farnecene (2.089 %).

Also p-Myrcene, limonene, ocimene, anethol, allo-ocimene, p-Cymene and tetra cadinene were existing in small amounts.

Generally major constituents of the essential oil influenced by the concentration of the foliar application treatmem (alfalfa plant extract, soybean seeds extract and active yeast solution ; HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 23 components (phenols and flavonoids).

Alfalfa extracts increased rutin, rosmarinic, caffeic, benzoic, catechin, vanillic, syringic, pyrogallol and epicatechin in comparison to control.

Soybean seeds extract (70 kg / fed.) increased the main component rutin to (38.1 %) whereas active dry yeast solution 4 % gave (30.362 %) rutin and increased, flavone-3-OH, pyrogallol ,vanillic, epicatechin and gallic acid .Also 2 % active dry yeast solution increased querectin, caffeic, catechol, chrysin and catechin.