Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Khorramabad, Iran
2
IInstitude of forest and rangelands, AREEO Tehran, Iran.
10.22091/ethc.2026.15770.1080
Abstract
Objective: Thymbra spicata L., is a perennial evergreen shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family that grows in semi-arid and subtropical regions. In Iran, it is naturally distributed in the provinces of Kermanshah, Ilam, and Lorestan. Traditionally, its herbal infusion has been used to relieve sore throat, treat oral ulcers, stomachache, headache, and toothache. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of domestication and cultivation of T. spicata and to investigate the effects of propagation methods and irrigation regimes on fresh biomass, dry biomass, and essential oil yield.
Methods: A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted under field conditions. Treatments consisted of two irrigation regimes (rainfed and irrigation at 10-day intervals) and three propagation methods (seed, stem cuttings, and plant division). Fresh and dry biomass production, essential oil yield, and phenological characteristics were evaluated.
Results: The highest fresh biomass (18,266.67 kg ha⁻¹), dry biomass (6,026.67 kg ha⁻¹), and essential oil yield (254.12 kg ha⁻¹) were obtained from plants propagated by stem cuttings under irrigated conditions. These values were significantly higher than those of the other propagation methods.
Conclusion: The results showed that irrigation significantly increased plant height, the number of lateral branches, and fresh and dry biomass yield. Among the propagation methods, stem cuttings provided the fastest plant establishment, the greatest aboveground biomass production, and the highest fresh and dry yields. Converting cultivation from rainfed to irrigated conditions increased fresh biomass by approximately twofold in plants propagated by division and by 1.7-fold in those propagated by stem cuttings. Overall, propagation by stem cuttings combined with regular irrigation was identified as the most effective approach for the successful domestication and economically sustainable cultivation of Thymbra spicata L.
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