Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy

ABSTRACT Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, a Mediterranean ruderal species, exhibits dual agro-biochemical roles as both a biostimulant and allelopathic agent. This study evaluated methanolic and ethanolic extracts for phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and biostimulant efficacy on Vicia fa...

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Main Authors: Badis Aouzal, Faiza Oudjane, Lamia Bourouh, Nabila Souilah, Djamel Eddine Laib, Nadjat Benkherbache, Fehmi Boufahja, Hamdi Bendif
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Lavras 2025-08-01
Series:Ciência e Agrotecnologia
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100225&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Badis Aouzal
Faiza Oudjane
Lamia Bourouh
Nabila Souilah
Djamel Eddine Laib
Nadjat Benkherbache
Fehmi Boufahja
Hamdi Bendif
author_facet Badis Aouzal
Faiza Oudjane
Lamia Bourouh
Nabila Souilah
Djamel Eddine Laib
Nadjat Benkherbache
Fehmi Boufahja
Hamdi Bendif
author_sort Badis Aouzal
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, a Mediterranean ruderal species, exhibits dual agro-biochemical roles as both a biostimulant and allelopathic agent. This study evaluated methanolic and ethanolic extracts for phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and biostimulant efficacy on Vicia faba and Citrus clementina. Methanolic extracts contained significantly higher polyphenols (215.8 ± 22.7 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (112.0 ± 19.0 mg QE/g), and tannins (52.9 ± 2.0 mg/g) compared to ethanolic extracts (110.9 ± 17.6 mg GAE/g, 16.0 ± 3.1 mg QE/g, 11.2 ± 1.0 mg/g). Despite this, ethanolic extracts exhibited stronger antioxidant scavenging, with lower IC50 values in DPPH (0.49 ± 0.14 mg/mL) and ABTS (0.33 ± 0.22 mg/mL) assays than methanolic extracts (0.72 ± 0.05 and 0.93 ± 0.12 mg/mL, respectively). Hydroponic root assays demonstrated methanolic extracts enhanced Vicia faba root length significantly at 0.05 mg/mL (5.85 ± 1.32 cm) and Citrus clementina roots at 0.05 mg/mL (2.73 ± 0.38 cm), outperforming ethanolic extracts which showed inhibitory effects at higher doses. In vivo greenhouse experiments confirmed methanolic extract treatments increased Vicia faba seed number and weight significantly (p < 0.001), alongside larger seed sacs and stem sizes compared to controls and ethanol treatments. These findings validate D. viscosa as a promising natural bio-stimulant with antioxidant synergy for sustainable agriculture.
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series Ciência e Agrotecnologia
spelling doaj-art-e9765b5d9c494063bcd06dd1f02ca80f2025-08-20T03:45:07ZengUniversidade Federal de LavrasCiência e Agrotecnologia1981-18292025-08-014910.1590/1413-7054202549006925Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergyBadis Aouzalhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6155-5008Faiza Oudjanehttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-9066-3905Lamia Bourouhhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4790-1020Nabila Souilahhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7762-9657Djamel Eddine Laibhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8373-6969Nadjat Benkherbachehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2450-3433Fehmi Boufahjahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8220-0396Hamdi Bendifhttps://orcid.org/0009-0009-5980-391XABSTRACT Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter, a Mediterranean ruderal species, exhibits dual agro-biochemical roles as both a biostimulant and allelopathic agent. This study evaluated methanolic and ethanolic extracts for phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and biostimulant efficacy on Vicia faba and Citrus clementina. Methanolic extracts contained significantly higher polyphenols (215.8 ± 22.7 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (112.0 ± 19.0 mg QE/g), and tannins (52.9 ± 2.0 mg/g) compared to ethanolic extracts (110.9 ± 17.6 mg GAE/g, 16.0 ± 3.1 mg QE/g, 11.2 ± 1.0 mg/g). Despite this, ethanolic extracts exhibited stronger antioxidant scavenging, with lower IC50 values in DPPH (0.49 ± 0.14 mg/mL) and ABTS (0.33 ± 0.22 mg/mL) assays than methanolic extracts (0.72 ± 0.05 and 0.93 ± 0.12 mg/mL, respectively). Hydroponic root assays demonstrated methanolic extracts enhanced Vicia faba root length significantly at 0.05 mg/mL (5.85 ± 1.32 cm) and Citrus clementina roots at 0.05 mg/mL (2.73 ± 0.38 cm), outperforming ethanolic extracts which showed inhibitory effects at higher doses. In vivo greenhouse experiments confirmed methanolic extract treatments increased Vicia faba seed number and weight significantly (p < 0.001), alongside larger seed sacs and stem sizes compared to controls and ethanol treatments. These findings validate D. viscosa as a promising natural bio-stimulant with antioxidant synergy for sustainable agriculture.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100225&lng=en&tlng=enAntioxidantsustainable agriculturecrop growth enhancement
spellingShingle Badis Aouzal
Faiza Oudjane
Lamia Bourouh
Nabila Souilah
Djamel Eddine Laib
Nadjat Benkherbache
Fehmi Boufahja
Hamdi Bendif
Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
Ciência e Agrotecnologia
Antioxidant
sustainable agriculture
crop growth enhancement
title Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
title_full Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
title_fullStr Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
title_full_unstemmed Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
title_short Elucidating the dual agro-biochemical roles of Dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts: Biostimulant-driven germination, crop enhancement, and antioxidant synergy
title_sort elucidating the dual agro biochemical roles of dittrichia viscosa methanolic and ethanolic extracts biostimulant driven germination crop enhancement and antioxidant synergy
topic Antioxidant
sustainable agriculture
crop growth enhancement
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-70542025000100225&lng=en&tlng=en
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