EFFECT OF FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH AND THE CONTENT OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS OF Satureja macrostema (Benth) Briq.

Abstract

This study evaluated the growth and content of volatile compounds (terpenes) of the aerial parts (leaves and stems) of nurité, Satureja macrostema, a plant used in Mexican traditional medicine. The effect of mineral fertilization (N – P – K) was analyzed in micropropagated plants (clones), cultivated in a greenhouse during 90 days. Three levels of N – P – K were applied every month in the following way: T2:10–10-10;T3:17–17-17andT4:20–20–20,besidesacontrolT1:1gkg-1 ofsubstrate.Theplantsfertilizedwith20–20–20(T4) attained the largest size, with 50.33 cm of height, 227.1 leaves per individual, 9.52 cm2 of leaf area and 24.94 g of fresh weight (4.72 g of dry weight). The volatile compounds were examined by means of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry; the most abundant were pulegone, limonene, linalool, menthone and verbenone. The main volatile compounds analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, were pulegone, limonene, linalool, menthone and verbenone. Many of these were obtained with treatment T4, in the following quantities: 45.95 μg g-1 (fresh weight) of pulegone, 2.17 μg g-1 of limonene, 10.79 μg g-1 of linalool and 3.06 μg g-1 of menthone; a reduced content of verbenone was found, compared to untreated plants. Fertilization with N-P-K (T4, 20-20-20) has a positive effect on growth and the content of volatile compounds of nurité (S. macrostema) plants compared to unfertilized plants.