Morpho-physiological and phytochemical traits of (Thymus daenensis Celak.) in response to deficit irrigation and chitosan application

Thymus daenensis Celak. is an aromatic herb used as a popular medicine and its natural products in the form of extracts and essential oil have significant economic values in Iran. We hypothesized that spraying plants grown under deficit irrigation system with chitosan can be considered as an applicable method to enhance essential oil and antioxidant activity in thyme. Response of thyme to three irrigation regimes including well-watered, moderate stress, and severe stress along with three levels of chitosan application rates 0, 200, and 400 μL L−1 was evaluated in a 2-year study in 2014 and 2015. Drought stress condition significantly shortened phenologic stages, more specifically in the first (establishment) year. All growth parameters were reduced dramatically as drought stress intensified. Imposing even moderate stress reduced leaf area as much as 59 and 44% in the first year and the second year, respectively. Biomass yield of plants grown under severe drought stress decreased substantially, whereas essential oil content and the share of thymol in thyme oil which possesses the greatest degree of biological activity improved. Maximum oil yield (1.50 g plant−1) was obtained from plants under mild drought stress when sprayed with 400 μL L−1 chitosan in the second year when plants were well-established. Foliar applications of chitosan reduced the adverse effect of water deficit on oil yield and improved thymol content of the essential oil. Chitosan also increased secondary metabolites including α-terpinene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, thymol, carvacrol and β-caryophyllene. Leaf flavonoid reduced under deficit irrigation while more phenol was found in plants grown under deficit irrigation. The essential oil of thyme exhibited antioxidant property when the plants were sprayed with 400 μL L−1 chitosan. The results of this study indicated that thyme can be grown successfully under moderate stress and that application of chitosan elicitor can to some degree compensate the negative impact of deficit irrigation on its biomass and essential oil yield.