Guest Editors
Dr. Antonios Chrysargyris
Email: a.chrysargyris@cut.ac.cy
Affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
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Research Interests: aromatic plants and vegetable cultivation; development of strategies for plant nutrition and response to abiotic stress; soil-less culture, substrates and hydroponics; postharvest storage and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants; essential oil analysis and biocidal activity; evaluation of natural products
Summary
Undoubtedly, humans have acquired life benefits by introducing medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) into their diets and medicines. MAPs synthesize hundreds of chemical and biochemical compounds for defense against insects, herbivorous mammals, fungi, and diseases. Numerous phytochemicals with established or potential biological activity have been identified in MAPs. The great diversity of available plant material provides a series of compounds (alkaloids, terpenes, polyphenols, glycosides) that exhibit a wide range of biological activities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, insecticidal, anticancer, to name a few), making these plants valuable as a source of food or medicine. However, the degradation of the natural environment and the collection of plants from native populations cannot ensure the repeatability of the valuable properties of MAP species.
Different species require their distinct cultivation conditions and their fertilization plan. Cultivation may be traditional or use conservation agriculture practices, or state-of-the-art agricultural equipment and techniques. The stability, quality, and repeatability of the compounds and the activities of the produced extracts or essential oils can be attributed to the cropping strategy, the environmental conditions, the plant part used, and many other factors.
Contributions to this Special Issue may cover all research aspects related to medicinal and aromatic plants that link the cultivation regime (soil/soilless cultivation, organic, conventional, wild material, water deficiency, or cultivated under other stress factors, etc.) with the presence and concentration of their compounds and their biological properties (antioxidant, antibacterial, insecticidal, cytotoxic, repellent, attractant, etc.) of various extracts. Research on the effects on essential oil quality and quantity is also welcome.
Keywords
Medicinal and Aromatic plants, biological properties, natural compounds, plant extract properties, cultivation practices
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