Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition

Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) is an important spice in the food industry, as a well as a medicinal plant with remarkable antioxidant properties. In this study, its essential oil content, chemical composition, flavonoid content, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity were evaluat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zahra Sobatinasab, Mehdi Rahimmalek, Nematollah Etemadi, Antoni Szumny
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/124
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841549146890174464
author Zahra Sobatinasab
Mehdi Rahimmalek
Nematollah Etemadi
Antoni Szumny
author_facet Zahra Sobatinasab
Mehdi Rahimmalek
Nematollah Etemadi
Antoni Szumny
author_sort Zahra Sobatinasab
collection DOAJ
description Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) is an important spice in the food industry, as a well as a medicinal plant with remarkable antioxidant properties. In this study, its essential oil content, chemical composition, flavonoid content, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated under three irrigation regimes (50, 70, and 90% field capacity) and different amounts of nano silicon (0, 1.5, and 3 mM) in ten populations of ajowan. Based on the GC–MS analysis, thymol, carvacrol, <i>p</i>-cymene, and γ-terpinene were determined as the main components of the oil. The thymol content ranged from 34.16% in the Ardabil population (irrigation at 50% and nano silicon at 1.5 mM) to 65.71% in the Khorbir population (without nano silicon and irrigation at 50%). The highest phenolic content was in Khormo with irrigation at 90% and without nano silicon (172.3 mg TAE/g DW), while the lowest was found in Hamedan (irrigation at 50% and without nano silicon (7.2 mg TAE/g DW)). Irrigation at 50% and no nano silicon treatment led to an increase in total flavonoids in Ardabil (46.786 mg QUE/g DW). The antioxidant activity of ajowan was evaluated using the DPPH assay. Accordingly, the highest antioxidant capacity was observed in Khormo (irrigation at 90% without nano silicon; 4126 µg/mL). Moreover, the highest thymol content was observed in the Khorbir population with irrigation at 50% and without nano silicon treatment. Furthermore, correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) provide new insights into the production of ajowan from their substrates under nano silicon treatment and water deficit conditions. Finally, the results revealed information on how to improve the desired essential oil profile and antioxidant capacity of extracts for industrial producers.
format Article
id doaj-art-6d52a9f148034989b32f25f683f55d78
institution Kabale University
issn 2304-8158
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Foods
spelling doaj-art-6d52a9f148034989b32f25f683f55d782025-01-10T13:17:51ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-01-0114112410.3390/foods14010124Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit ConditionZahra Sobatinasab0Mehdi Rahimmalek1Nematollah Etemadi2Antoni Szumny3Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, IranDepartment of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, IranDepartment of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, IranDepartment of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, PolandAjowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) is an important spice in the food industry, as a well as a medicinal plant with remarkable antioxidant properties. In this study, its essential oil content, chemical composition, flavonoid content, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated under three irrigation regimes (50, 70, and 90% field capacity) and different amounts of nano silicon (0, 1.5, and 3 mM) in ten populations of ajowan. Based on the GC–MS analysis, thymol, carvacrol, <i>p</i>-cymene, and γ-terpinene were determined as the main components of the oil. The thymol content ranged from 34.16% in the Ardabil population (irrigation at 50% and nano silicon at 1.5 mM) to 65.71% in the Khorbir population (without nano silicon and irrigation at 50%). The highest phenolic content was in Khormo with irrigation at 90% and without nano silicon (172.3 mg TAE/g DW), while the lowest was found in Hamedan (irrigation at 50% and without nano silicon (7.2 mg TAE/g DW)). Irrigation at 50% and no nano silicon treatment led to an increase in total flavonoids in Ardabil (46.786 mg QUE/g DW). The antioxidant activity of ajowan was evaluated using the DPPH assay. Accordingly, the highest antioxidant capacity was observed in Khormo (irrigation at 90% without nano silicon; 4126 µg/mL). Moreover, the highest thymol content was observed in the Khorbir population with irrigation at 50% and without nano silicon treatment. Furthermore, correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) provide new insights into the production of ajowan from their substrates under nano silicon treatment and water deficit conditions. Finally, the results revealed information on how to improve the desired essential oil profile and antioxidant capacity of extracts for industrial producers.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/124ajowannano silicondrought stressessential oilphenolflavonoid
spellingShingle Zahra Sobatinasab
Mehdi Rahimmalek
Nematollah Etemadi
Antoni Szumny
Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
Foods
ajowan
nano silicon
drought stress
essential oil
phenol
flavonoid
title Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
title_full Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
title_fullStr Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
title_full_unstemmed Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
title_short Nano Silicon Modulates Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacities of Ajowan (<i>Trachyspermum ammi</i>) Under Water Deficit Condition
title_sort nano silicon modulates chemical composition and antioxidant capacities of ajowan i trachyspermum ammi i under water deficit condition
topic ajowan
nano silicon
drought stress
essential oil
phenol
flavonoid
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/1/124
work_keys_str_mv AT zahrasobatinasab nanosiliconmodulateschemicalcompositionandantioxidantcapacitiesofajowanitrachyspermumammiiunderwaterdeficitcondition
AT mehdirahimmalek nanosiliconmodulateschemicalcompositionandantioxidantcapacitiesofajowanitrachyspermumammiiunderwaterdeficitcondition
AT nematollahetemadi nanosiliconmodulateschemicalcompositionandantioxidantcapacitiesofajowanitrachyspermumammiiunderwaterdeficitcondition
AT antoniszumny nanosiliconmodulateschemicalcompositionandantioxidantcapacitiesofajowanitrachyspermumammiiunderwaterdeficitcondition