Tzortzakis Nikolaos, Neofytou Giannis, Chrysargyris Antonios
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, 3603 Limassol, Cyprus.
Plants (Basel). 2025 Feb 24;14(5):691. doi: 10.3390/plants14050691.
The demand for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) has grown significantly in recent years, due to their therapeutic value. Among these, Post is a promising yet under-evaluated species. Existing research assessing the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization, zinc (Zn) foliar applications, and toxic copper (Cu) concentrations often overlooks MAPs such as . Additionally, the interactions among these parameters, as well as their combined roles in MAPs plant physiology and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, hydroponically grown plants were cultivated using nutrient solutions (NSs) with different N (75, 150, and 300 mg L) and Cu (5 and 100 μM) levels, combined with foliar spraying (0 and 1.74 mM Zn), to evaluate the growth, mineral uptake, secondary metabolites production and stress response. N levels at 75 and 150 mg L resulted in increased dry matter content, whereas fresh biomass production was preserved. Foliar Zn applications enhanced chlorophylls and antioxidants, contingent upon N and Cu in the NS. Increased N accumulation was observed via the increase in N in the NS, while foliar Zn enhanced its uptake at moderate N levels. Excess Cu stimulated its accumulation, while a reduction was observed with foliar Zn at low and high N levels. Excess Cu increased lipid peroxidation (MDA) at low and moderate N in the NS, while foliar Zn decreased both MDA and hydrogen peroxide, contingent upon Cu and N levels. Low-to-moderate N in the NS can be applied under excess Cu without compromising the yield, quality, and safety of plants, while foliar Zn can modulate the stress response of plants under excess Cu and the production of secondary metabolites. These results may be utilized for optimizing nutrient management strategies for the cultivation of MAPs, contributing to conservation efforts by supporting the cultivation of endemic species like , considering the potential benefits of Zn foliar applications under Cu-contaminated conditions.
近年来，由于药用和芳香植物（MAPs）具有治疗价值，其需求显著增长。其中，Post是一种前景广阔但尚未得到充分评估的物种。现有的评估氮（N）施肥、锌（Zn）叶面喷施和有毒铜（Cu）浓度影响的研究往往忽视了诸如Post这样的MAPs。此外，这些参数之间的相互作用以及它们在MAPs植物生理学和次生代谢物生物合成中的综合作用尚未完全阐明。在本研究中，使用含有不同N（75、150和300 mg/L）和Cu（5和100 μM）水平的营养液（NSs），结合叶面喷施（0和1.74 mM Zn），水培种植Post植物，以评估其生长、矿物质吸收、次生代谢物产生和应激反应。75和150 mg/L的N水平导致干物质含量增加，而新鲜生物量产量得以保持。叶面喷施Zn可提高叶绿素和抗氧化剂含量，这取决于NS中的N和Cu。通过增加NS中的N观察到N积累增加，而叶面喷施Zn在中等N水平下增强了其吸收。过量的Cu刺激了其积累，而在低N和高N水平下，叶面喷施Zn则使其积累减少。过量的Cu在NS中低N和中等N水平下增加了脂质过氧化（MDA），而叶面喷施Zn则根据Cu和N水平降低了MDA和过氧化氢。在过量Cu的情况下，可以施用低至中等N水平的NS，而不会影响Post植物的产量、质量和安全性，同时叶面喷施Zn可以调节植物在过量Cu条件下的应激反应和次生代谢物的产生。这些结果可用于优化MAPs种植的养分管理策略，通过支持像Post这样的特有物种的种植来促进保护工作，考虑到在Cu污染条件下叶面喷施Zn的潜在益处。
