SEED GERMINATION AND BIOMORPHOLOGY OF ORNAMENTAL-MEDICINAL PLANTS UNDER INTRODUCTION CONDITIONS

ABSTRACT

This article examines the seed germination and value of ornamental-medicinal plants in the Karshi Oasis. The species Matricaria chamomilla L., Salvia splendens Ker-Gawl, and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don were selected as study subjects. Their morphobiological characteristics, seed size, and seed germination indicators were analyzed. Seed germination was studied in the laboratory at various temperatures; the optimum temperature was 22°C, with a germination rate of 81–88%. Seed germination, cotyledon size, and survival were studied in the field; germination rates were 69–76%. The results indicate that these species are well adapted to the climatic conditions of the Karshi Oasis.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В данной статье рассмотрены всхожесть семян и значение декоративно-лекарственных растений Каршинского оазиса. В качестве объектов исследования были выбраны виды Matricaria chamomilla L., Salvia splendens Ker-Gawl и Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. Проанализированы их морфобиологические характеристики, размер семян и показатели всхожести семян. Всхожесть семян изучали в лабораторных условиях при различных температурах; оптимальная температура 22°С, всхожесть 81–88%. Всхожесть семян, размер семядолей и выживаемость изучали в полевых условиях; Всхожесть составила 69–76%. Результаты показывают, что эти виды хорошо адаптированы к климатическим условиям Каршинского оазиса.

Keywords: introduction, decorative, medicinal, seed, cotyledons, seed germination.

Ключевые слова: интродукция, декоративный, лекарственный, семя, семядоли, всхожесть семян.

Introduction

The introduction of ornamental and medicinal plant species helps meet various biological and ecological needs of humans, improve the ecological stability of regions, ensure a wealth of plant resources, and introduce new agricultural technologies. Therefore, the introduction of ornamental and medicinal plants and the development of scientifically based technologies for their cultivation are of great importance [1, pp. 34-35; 2, pp. 118-120].

Our study aimed to examine the bioecological characteristics of some ornamental and medicinal plant species, widely used in landscape design and also of significant medicinal value, in the Karshi oasis.

Ornamental and medicinal plants, such as Matricaria chamomilla L., Salvia splendens Ker-Gawl., Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don , were chosen as the object of study.

M. chamomilla – chamomile (uzb. “moychechak”, russian. “ромашка”) is an annual herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family, growing up to 55 cm tall. It grows naturally in wastelands, fields, and roadsides in Central Asia. Its flowers contain up to 0.8% essential oil, which includes chamazulene, terpenes, sesquiterpenes, alcohols, cadinene, as well as caprylic, nonyl, and isovaleric acids. In medicine, chamazulene and galenic preparations prepared from the flowers of M. chamomilla are used as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, carminative, hemostatic, sedative, anticonvulsant, and antispasmodic agents, and somewhat accelerate the healing of wounds. The decoction has antimicrobial properties, reduces intestinal inflammation, reduces allergic reactions, and regulates bile secretion. It is also used externally for washing wounds, baths, and enemas [3, pp. 130-132]. It is also cultivated in many regions as an ornamental plant.

S. splendens – scarlet (uzb. “yaltiroq marmarak”, russian. “шалфе́й сверка́ющий”) sage an annual ornamental and medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It grows naturally in South America and is cultivated in many countries. It contains mainly essential oils, tannins, alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, triterpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. S. splendens is widely used in landscape design for its beautiful flowers, as well as for decorating streets and avenues. It is grown as an ornamental plant in all regions of Uzbekistan. This plant has significant pharmacological significance. It has antifungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antioxidant and antiseptic activity. Methanol and aqueous extracts of the aerial parts have hypoglycemic activity and are used as a treatment for diabetes. An aqueous extract of the root increases blood clotting [4, pp. 501-502; 5, pp. 957-964; 6, pp. 140-144].

C. roseus – catharanthus roseus (uzb. “pushti katarantus”, russian. “катарантус розовый”) belongs to the Apocynaceae family. It grows naturally in humid tropical regions of countries such as Indonesia (Java), Vietnam, Malaysia, and India. It contains 400 alkaloids, of which actineoplastidmer, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vindeline, tabersonine, and others are found only in the aerial parts, while ajmalicine, vincente, vineamine, raubasine, reserpine, and catharanthine are found only in the roots. Six of the alkaloids contained in C. roseus are used in the treatment of malignant tumors and cancer, of which vinblastine and vincristine are used medicinally. In addition to alkaloids, the product also contains hydroxycarboxylic acids, flavonoids, glycosides, and other substances. Medicinal preparations have a cytotoxic (cancer cell-killing) effect and are used in the treatment of certain oncological diseases (vinblastine – lymphogranulomatosis, hematosarcoma, myeloma; vincristine – neuroblastoma, leukemia, Wilson's tumor, melanoma, breast cancer, and other tumors). Decoctions are used to treat diarrhea, hypertension, diabetes, and skin diseases [7; 8, pp. 17-31]. It is also grown in many regions as an ornamental plant.

Purpose of the study

Study of seed germination and some biomorphological features of ornamental-medicinal plants of the species Matricaria chamomilla L., Salvia splendens Ker-Gawl., Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don in the conditions of introduction of the Karshi Oasis.

Materials and methods

The botanical description of the plants was compiled based on observations of plants growing in the Karshi oasis. Freshly collected seeds of plants grown in Karshi were used to determine seed germination in laboratory and field conditions. Seed quality was studied according to the recommendations of R.Y. Levina [9; p. 351] and M.K. Firsova [10, pp. 10-55]. Seed germination in the laboratory was determined by sowing 100 seeds on filter paper moistened with distilled water in a Petri dish and re-germinating them three times in a thermostat at different temperatures. To study germination under field conditions, the emergence of seeds sown at various depths in open ground was recorded. The biomorphological characteristics of the plants were studied according to I.G. Serebryakov [11; p. 391]. During the study, the size (length, width) and viability of the cotyledons were recorded.

Results and discussions

In the Karshi oasis, the stem of the M. chamomilla is erect, branched, smooth, thin, and hollow, reaching a height of 30-60 cm. The root is poorly developed, but the lateral roots are extensively branched. The leaves are serrated, arranged alternately on the stem, divided 2-3 times into leaflets, each divided into thin, oval segments. The flowers are white, gathered in a head. The head has white flowers at the edges and yellow flowers in the center. It blooms from April to June, bears fruit in May-June, and produces seeds. The fruits are small, oblong, yellowish-brown, 1.0-2.0 mm long and 0.4-0.6 mm wide. The seeds are very small, smooth, 1.0-1.6 mm long and 0.5-0.7 mm wide.

S. splendens, native to the Karshi oasis, is an erect plant reaching a height of 50-80 cm. It has a strong, taproot with many branches. The leaves are opposite on four-lobed branches. The leaves are ovate and oval. The flowers are large, red, bilabiate, zygomorphic, and gathered in a whorl. The corolla is 30-40 mm, red, and bilabiate. The flowers are arranged in a ring of up to 12-20 flowers on the axis of the panicle, with up to 3-6 flowers per ring. Flowering occurs from May to November. The fruit is a nut formed by the fusion of four sepals. The seed is oblong-ovoid, dark brown, smooth, 2-3 mm long, and 1-1.2 mm wide.

In the Karshi oasis, the C. roseus is erect, rounded, and branched, reaching a height of 60-70 cm. The taproot is multi-branched. The leaves are petiolate, oblong-elliptical, 5-7 cm long, dark green, glossy, and arranged oppositely on the stem. The flowers are pink or whitish-pink, solitary, bisexual, with five sepals. It blooms from May to October, bears fruit in August to November, and produces seeds. The fruits are dark brown, with two leaves, 4.5-5.0 cm long and 0.3-0.5 cm wide. The seeds are ovoid, convex, dark brown, with a hard shell, 2.0-2.5 mm long and 0.5-1.0 mm wide.

Preliminary studies examined the germination characteristics of the seeds of the selected species. The seeds for the study were collected from plants grown in Karshi.

The seeds of the selected species belong to the small-seeded group; the 1,000-seed weight of M. chamomilla is 0.02-0.05 grams, S. splendens is 4-5 grams, and
C. roseus is 1.2-1.8 grams.

Under laboratory conditions, seeds were germinated in triplicate, 100 seeds per Petri dish, at different temperatures. The optimal temperature for seed germination for the selected species was 22°C. At this temperature, seed germination rates were 87% for M. chamomilla, 88% for S. splendens, and 81% for C. roseus (Table 1).

In the second half of March, M. chamomilla seeds were sown in the field at a depth of 0.5 cm on the soil surface. The seeds began to germinate after 8 days. The cotyledons were quite small, measuring 2x4 mm long and 0.5x1.5 mm wide. The cotyledons dried and fell off after 15-20 days. Germination occurred above ground, with a germination rate of 69%.

Table 1.

 Seed germination indicators in laboratory conditions

Under field conditions, S. splendens seeds sown in March at a depth of 0.5-1 cm began to germinate within 12 days. The cotyledons were quite small, measuring
2x3 mm long and 1.5x2 mm wide. The cotyledons lasted 35-40 days, after which they dried up and fell off. The germination rate of seeds with above-ground germination was 76%.

C. roseus seeds were sown in the field in the second half of April at a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Germination began after 14 days. The cotyledons were slightly larger, measuring 4x8 mm long and 2x4 mm wide. The cotyledons remained on the plant for 25-35 days and then fell off. Germination occurred above ground, with a germination rate of 72%.

Under field conditions, S. splendens seeds showed a high germination rate of 76%, while M. chamomilla seeds had a relatively lower germination rate of 69%.

The species selected for the study are grown as ornamental plants in almost all areas of the Karshi oasis. Furthermore, the medicinal raw materials of these plants are used in medicine to treat various ailments.

Conclusion

The good growth and development of M. chamomilla, S. splendens and C. roseus species grown from seeds in the Karshi oasis indicate their Prospects as ornamental and medicinal plants. Scientific study of the bioecological characteristics of these species under introduction conditions, as well as their large-scale planting and propagation, ensures the supply of high-quality raw materials for landscaping and the pharmaceutical industry.

References:

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