Quality Characteristics of Wholemeal Flour and Bread from Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L subsp. durum Desf.) after Field Treatment with Plant Water Extracts

The use of selected plant water extracts to control pests and weeds is gaining growing attention in organic and sustainable agriculture, but the effects that such extracts may exert on the quality aspects of durum wheat are still unexplored. In 2014, 5 plant water extracts (Artemisia arborescens, Euphorbia characias, Rhus coriaria, Thymus vulgaris, Lantana camara) were prepared and distributed on durum wheat cv Valbelice to evaluate their potential herbicidal effects. After crop harvesting, the major physicochemical and technological parameters of wholemeal flours obtained from each treatment were measured and compared with those from chemical weeding and untreated controls. A baking test w…

Phytotoxic Lignans from Artemisia arborescens

A systematic bioassay-guided fractionation of methylene chloride extracts of the aerial part of Artemisia arborescens was performed in order to identify its phytotoxic compounds Two lignans were isolated, sesamin and ashantin, that inhibited growth of Agrostis stolonifera (bentgrass), a monocot, and Lactuca sativa (lettuce), a dicot, at 1 mg mL–1. In a dose-response screening of these lignans for growth inhibition against Lemna paucicostata (duckweed), ashantin was the most active with an IC50 of ca. 224 μM. The mode of action of these compounds is still unknown. In mosquito larvicidal bioassays the pure compounds sesamin and ashantin did not cause mortality at the highest dose of 125 mg/L…

Evaluation of biocidal potential of some plant species from the Mediterranean wild flora

Use of Plant Water Extracts for Weed Control in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. Subsp. durum Desf.)

The use of plant water extracts to control weeds is gaining attention in environmentally-friendly agriculture, but the study of the effect that such extracts may exert on the yield of durum wheat is still unexplored. In 2014 and 2016, the herbicidal potential of several plant water extracts was field tested on durum wheat (cv Valbelice). In 2014, extracts obtained from Artemisia arborescens, Rhus coriaria, Lantana camara, Thymus vulgaris, and Euphorbia characias were used, whereas in 2016 only A. arborescens and R. coriaria were tested as &ldquo

Herbicidal potential of aqueous extracts from Melia azedarach L., Artemisia arborescens L., Rhus coriaria L. and Lantana camara L.

In the search for new strategies for weed management in agricultural systems, a great interest is to use the plant extracts to replace or integrate, chemical weed control. Two experiments were done to test the effects of plant water extracts from Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.), Tree Wormwood (Artemisia arborescens (Vaill.) L.), Sicilian Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) and Lantana (Lantana camara L.) on seed germination of Rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.), Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), Bladderflower (Araujia sericifera Brot.) and Psyllium (Plantago psyllium L). The water extracts (pure and 50% mixtures) from the donor species were applied on seeds of recipient plants. In second experiment in pots, thes…