medicinal plants

The increasing use of medicinal, aromatic plants and spices has increased the economic production, value and trade of these plants. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe.) is a perennial rhizome plant which is considered as the most important spice in the global trade. Ginger rhizome has bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and essential oil. Essential oil (including zingiberene, α and β-pinene, camphene etc.) is responsible for the aroma of ginger. Important phenolic compounds of ginger include Gingerol, Shogaol, Paradol, and Zingerone, which are responsible for the spicy taste of ginger. Ginger has important effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antilipemic, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, anti-nausea, and liver protective activities, improving digestive problems, etc. In addition to medicine, ginger rhizome is widely used as a spice and flavoring in foods, drinks, etc., and is also defined as a dietary supplement by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In this study, while examining and analyzing the world market of this valuable spice, Iran's production potentials were examined to supply internal needs and enter to the export section.
 
In this research, the data on the production and trade of ginger was evaluated using the codes determined in the Harmonized System (HS codes 091010, 091011 and 091012). The area harvest, production amount, yield and the top producing countries were extracted from the statistics section of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The export and import trade data of ginger in Iran and the world, the top exporting and importing countries during 2010-2022 years were evaluated using the World Trade Center data.
 
According to the obtained assessments, the total production of ginger in the world has increased from 1.718.571 tons in 2010 with an increase of 183% to 4.874.216 tons in 2022, and India, Nigeria, China, Nepal, and Indonesia are among the main ginger producer countries in the world during these years. Also, the investigation of the global trade of ginger showed that the export of this product increased from about 655.9 million dollars in 2010 with a growth of 37% to 900.5 million dollars in 2022, and the import value also increased by 97%, from 568.7 million dollars in 2010 to 1.125 billion dollars, which indicates an increase in the global trade of this product. China, Netherlands, India, Peru, and Thailand were the top exporters while America, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, and Pakistan as the top importers of ginger. The analysis of Iran statistics showed that the total export value of ginger was 15.000 dollars in 2022, while the amount of import reached 36.6 million dollars from 1.35 million dollars in 2010, which shows an increase of 4.7 folds the import volume of this product. Iraq and Azerbaijan were the destinations of ginger exported from Iran, and the origins of ginger imported to Iran were China, United Arab Emirates, and India. In Iran, Tehran province was the only ginger-producer province in the country, which produced 23 tons of ginger with 0.3 ha of area in greenhouse conditions. Price fluctuations of ginger produced in countries such as the USA, China, Brazil and Peru and offered in the USA market in 2022 were investigated. The price of ginger varies throughout the year due to factors such as supply, demand, weather conditions and market dynamics. The highest ginger price ($9.19) was recorded for American ginger in the USA market from August 19 to September 14, and it still had a high price in the cold season. As mentioned, ginger is one of the most important spices in global trade and has a high value in global export and import. In Iran, production less than the internal demand has caused a significant increase in imports compared to exports. Therefore, according to the evaluation and success of the cultivation of similar products in the country, the existence of wide areas harvested and favorable weather conditions, especially in provinces such as Sistan & Baluchestan, and Hormozgan, it is suggested to pay attention to the cultivation of ginger to supply internal markets and achieve extensive exports. Also, according to the area under greenhouses cultivation, which is 24,000 hectares, taking into account the average production of 10 tons of ginger per hectare, if only 10% of the existing greenhouse cultivation is dedicated to ginger production, it is possible to produce 24,000 tons of fresh ginger, which will fully meet domestic needs and provide the export.
 
Global ginger production and trade grew significantly from 2010 to 2022, led by producers like India, Nigeria, and China, and top exporters like China, the Netherlands, and India. Iran’s ginger imports rose due to limited local production, and this underscored the potential for cultivation in regions such as Sistan & Baluchestan and Hormozgan. In addition, utilizing greenhouse capacity could meet domestic demand and boost exports, integrating Iran into the global ginger market.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), a perennial plant from the Gramineae family, is renowned for its rich polyphenol compounds, having significant medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary applications. Enhancing the quantitative and qualitative yield of lemongrass is of considerable economic importance. Salicylic acid, a key regulator of physiological and biochemical processes, acts as an elicitor to enhance the accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants. Similarly, nitrogen plays a vital role in plant growth, improving yield quantity and quality. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and salicylic acid on various quantitative and qualitative traits of lemongrass. A factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted in 2021 at the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources research farm of the University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran. The experiment evaluated the effects of different levels of salicylic acid (0, 10 µM, and 100 µM) and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha from a urea source) on lemongrass. Each treatment was replicated three times. In each fertilizer treatment, 20% of the nitrogen was applied after plant establishment, with the remainder applied in four stages alongside irrigation water to minimize leaching losses based on soil nitrogen content. Salicylic acid was applied via foliar spraying using a backpack sprayer when 70% of each plot was covered by lemongrass, with a second application 15 days later. Each plot measured 3 meters in width with six planting lines, each 3 meters long, 60 cm apart, and plants within lines were spaced 40 cm apart. The soil had a silty clay texture, pH of 7.5, and electrical conductivity of 2.6 dS/m. The studied traits included chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, total fresh and dry weight, antioxidant activity percentage, total phenol content, and essential oil percentage and yield. The interaction between salicylic acid and nitrogen fertilizer significantly influenced all studied traits except antioxidant activity percentage. Nitrogen fertilizer alone significantly affected antioxidant activity, with the highest percentage (89.8%) observed at 150 kg/ha of nitrogen. The highest levels of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll were achieved with no salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, showing increases of 140%, 42%, and 116%, respectively, compared to the control (no salicylic acid or nitrogen). The highest total fresh and dry weight was obtained with 100 µM salicylic acid and 100 kg/ha of nitrogen, representing a 75% increase over the control. The highest essential oil percentage (0.87%) and yield (65.6 g/m²) were observed with 10 µM salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen. In contrast, the lowest essential oil yield (18.29 g/m²) and percentage (0.45%) were recorded in the absence of salicylic acid and nitrogen and with no salicylic acid but 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, respectively. Applying nitrogen fertilizer and salicylic acid enhanced the yield and percentage of essential oil, total dry matter, and total phenol content in lemongrass leaves compared to the control. The highest essential oil yield was achieved with 10 µM salicylic acid and 150 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer, demonstrating the synergistic effects of these treatments on lemongrass productivity and quality.

The ever-increasing tendency to the use of medicinal plants in the world has grown concerns about their cultivation and production processes. As medicinal plants are more compatible with the nature, special interest and attention has recently been given to herb therapy, and use of medicinal plants, being limited by the rise of pharmaceutical drugs, has become again common and widespread due to a number of reasons. Nigella sativa L. is one of the herbs that has a variety of uses and has been being used in iran’s traditional medicine since old times. Today this plant is considered as one of the most important kinds of medicine. Therefore, it is of great importance to conduct some researches on the herbs around the country due to different ecological requirements. N. sativa belonging to buttercup family, with the scientific name of Ranunculaceae, is an annual, dicotyledonous, herbaceous plant. In several studies, N. sativa has been reported to have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, strengthening of immune system, and anti-histamine and oil extract properties. Furthermore, several effects such as lowering blood sugar, lipids, and hypertension, excretion of bile and uric acid, protection of liver, kidney and cardiovascular tissues as well as anti-seizure, anti-cancer, anti-microbial and anti-parasitic effects related to this plant have been reported. The aim of the present study is to improve the yield and yield components and oil of medicinal plant N. sativa by anti-transpiration compounds under drought stress conditions.                       

An experiment was conducted at Research Station,Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in 2012-2013. The research was performed using a split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The irrigation intervals (8 and 16 days) in main plots and anti-transpiration compounds of chitosan (0.25, 0.5 and 1%), Plantogopsyllium mucilage (0.5, 1 and 1.5%) and arabic gum (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 %) were put in subplots with three replications. Also, the distance between the main plots in each block and distance between the two blocks were assigned as 100 cm and 200 cm, respectively; so that the moisture content of a plot had no effect on the adjacent plots. Planting date was April16 and planting was performed by hand in 0.5cm-deep furrows. Throughout the growing season, anti-transpiration compounds were applied concurrently with the imposition of drought stress, administered weekly at sunset until the flowering stage. Subsequently, yield, yield components, and oil content were measured.

Results showed that irrigation intervals had significant effects on all studied characteristics with the exception of 1000 seed weight. ncreasing irrigation intervals reduced percentage yield and yield components and oil of black cumin grains. Anti-transpirants compounds did have significant effects on percentage of oil and yield and yield components of black cumin grains. There were significant difference between different anti-transpirants compounds in terms of oil and yield components yield and of black cumin grains. The 8 days irrigation interval produced more grain yield compared with 16 days irrigation intervals (621.56 vs. 484.23 kg/ha). The highest oil (27.74%) and lowest (21.74%), respectively, at treatment anti-transpirants compound chitosan1 percent With 8 days irrigation interval and gam arabic 0.25 percent was obtained with 16 days irrigation interval and chitosan stimulating abscisic acid synthesis in the treated plant would result in stomatal closure, reduction of stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and water content. They also pointed out that the anti-transpiration effect of chitosan was because of its stimulatory effect in increasing abscisic acid concentration in the treated leaves of bean plant. As the above compounds are natural and biodegradable, as well as safer and less expensive than other chemical anti-transpiration compounds, they can serve as a good alternative to the chemical compounds. Cognition and expertise in water relations of plant and drought stress tolerance is considered as the main program in agriculture and the ability to withstand this stress is of great economic importance.

The anti-transpiration compounds led to significant changes in terms of all the studied traits compared to the control, indicating the effectiveness of theses natural compounds. Providing the appropriate conditions, 1% chitosan treatment can enhance the yield under drought stress. Spraying by arabic gum did not improve the growth conditions. According to this experiment, 1% chitosan treatment and 1.5% Plantago psyllium mucilage is considered the most appropriate strategy to enhance the yield of Nigella sativa under drought stress.

The Chamestan region, located in Mazandaran province, boasts unique ecological and cultural diversity. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate and document the ethnopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plants in the Chamestan area. No previous ethnobotanical reports have been recorded in this region, making the identification and introduction of medicinal plants crucial for improving healthcare and treatment conditions in the area. This research can contribute significantly to the local community's well-being and medical practices.
Ethnopharmacological information about medicinal plants in this region was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire in 1402 (solar Hijri calendar). Chamestan is situated on the outskirts of the northern natural forests. The city was divided into urban and rural sections, and samples were selected from the area with local guides. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field walks. A total of 24 participants (13 men and 11 women) took part in the study, with 20 randomly selected and 4 purposively chosen as key informants. Demographic characteristics such as education level, gender, and age group were recorded. This research aimed to access indigenous knowledge and traditional applications for identifying medicinal plant specimens. To achieve this, information was gathered from local inhabitants, herbalists, and individuals knowledgeable about traditional medicine and medicinal plants through interviews. For quantitatively analyzing ethnobotanical data of medicinal plants, a software tool (MS Excel 2021) was used to classify and employ descriptive statistical patterns, including relative frequency of quotations, usage value, and informant consensus factor. This study aimed to enrich the understanding of native knowledge and traditional uses of medicinal plants. By documenting this knowledge, the research aimed to contribute to the identification and potential applications of medicinal plant resources. This could significantly benefit the Chamestan community's healthcare and well-being.
In this study, medicinal plants collected belonged to 21 families, with the families Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and Brassicaceae being the most abundant with 28.6%, 19.19%, 19.19%, 14.3%, and 9.5% respectively. The most relative frequency of quotation (RFC) was observed for Thyme, Borage, Nettle, and Tarragon, in descending order. Regarding the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC), the largest level of agreement among informants about gastrointestinal, neurological, and renal diseases. The aerial parts (leaves and flowers) were the most commonly used plant parts, constituting 30% and 13% of the remedies, respectively, while the least used parts were the roots and skin, accounting for 3%. According to the findings, the plants with the highest RFC were Thymus serpyllum and Urtica dioica. The highest consensus of knowledge was found among informants regarding gastrointestinal, neurological, and renal conditions, with IFC values of 0.6, 0.5, and 0.3 respectively. The most consumed species were Thymus serpyllum, Echium amoenum, Urtica dioica, and Mentha mozaffariani. The Lamiaceae family, represented by Thymus serpyllum and Mentha mozaffariani, exhibited positive effects on gastrointestinal issues. In addition to medicinal uses, the Chamestan people consume numerous plants as raw vegetables or in combination with rice, making their diet rich in valuable constituents. Other plants used include Mentha pulegium, Allium ampeloprasum, Ficaria fascicularis, Allium ursinum, Rumex elbursensis, and Amaranthus retroflexus.
Due to the rich diversity of medicinal plants and the close relationship of indigenous people with nature, extensive use of herbal remedies and meeting life's needs was expected in this region. However, the complete transfer of knowledge between generations has not occurred, possibly due to changes in people's lifestyles and urbanization. Considering the abundant flora and local indigenous knowledge, supportive measures are recommended for identifying, preserving, and increasing the number of valuable medicinal plant species. Collecting and documenting this region's knowledge, especially from elderly individuals, is crucial.

Awareness of changes in medicinal plant yield quantity and quality over time is one of the most important goals in agricultural management. Satureja mutica is one of the valuable medicinal species growing in Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different planting beds on changes in vegetative characteristics and essential oil components over the years of growth in S. mutica under rainfed conditions. The experiment was conducted in the form of split plots in a randomized complete block design for three years (2018-2020) in the rainy conditions of Feridounshahr city, Isfahan province. Planting beds as the main plot included cow manure (30 tons per hectare), wheat straw (10 tons per hectare), and control (without cow manure and wheat straw). After the preparation of the field, the seedlings were planted at the bottom of the wells created at a distance of 50 x 50 cm from each other. During the growing season and at the time of 50% flowering, the studied traits including total plant dry weight, leaf and stem dry weight, plant height, crown diameter per plant, canopy area per plant, and in each square meter of land and the number of stems per plant were measured. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branches of the plants were harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands. Considering that the plant is several years old and measurements are carried out every year on fixed plots, the design analysis was done on divided plots at the time of implementation. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was applied to compare the means. For essential oil extraction, the flowering branch of the plant was harvested at the full flowering stage. After drying in the shade, the essential oil was extracted by the water distillation method. After determining the yield of essential oils based on the dry weight of the plant, the essential oils were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography, and gas chromatography was connected to a mass spectrometer in the phytochemistry laboratory of the Research Institute of Forests and Pastures. The SAS computer program was used to perform statistical calculations, and the LSD test was used to compare the means. The variance analysis of the data showed that the effects of bed, year, and their interaction effects on the measured traits were significant in many cases. Results showed that the highest values of plant height, crown diameter, canopy area, and number of stems per plant in the first year were seen in manure treatment. In the last year, they were in control. The highest rates of total dry weight, leaf dry weight, essential oil yield, and essential oil percentage were observed in control in the last year. These rates were 1427, 891, 42 kg ha-1, and 4.67%, respectively. The main essential oil components are thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene. These essential oil components are affected by the planting bed and the growth year. So in the case of p-cymene, the highest amount obtained in the first year was in the straw treatment. The highest amounts of gamma-terpinene were observed in all three planting bed treatments in the last year of growth. S. mutica had significant amounts of thymol, and the trend of changes among planting bed treatments and during growing years was very small. The highest amounts of carvacrol were observed in straw treatment and animal manure in the second year of growth. The results of the correlation coefficients showed that the most vital traits affecting essential oil yield were total dry weight, leaf and stem, and essential oil percentage. Thymol and p-cymene were inversely correlated with carvacrol and gamma-terpinene. On the whole, to produce S. mutica under rainfed conditions similar to this study, manure or straw could affect yield and essential oil over the first and second years; however, in the third year, this effect diminished, and control treatment was superior to straw and manure treatments.

Cancer is one of the most serious causes of death, and breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Medicinal plants can play a vital role in cancer treatment. Many effective cancer drugs today are derived from natural plant products. This study evaluates the cytotoxic effect of Pterocarya fraxinifolia leaf methanolic extract. It also evaluates its effect on the expression of the P21, BID, BCL-2, RB1, and MDM2 genes in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

Extraction was done from 20 grams of dried and powdered leaves exposed to air by the soaking (maceration) method using pure methanol and after 24 hours in an incubator shaker at a speed of 120 rpm, temperature of 25°C and in the dark. After filtering and drying the extract, 5 mg of the resulting dry substance was dissolved in 1 ml of RPMI-1640 medium. After re-filtration, it was stored as a stock to prepare different concentrations. MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and HGF-1 as a normal cell line were cultured in RPMI1640 medium containing FBS 10% (w/v), penicillin antibiotics, streptomycin 1% (w/v), and at 37°C temperature and 5% carbon dioxide pressure in an incubator. These cells were exposed to various concentrations of methanolic extract from Pterocarya fraxinifolia leaves for 24 hours. Cell survival rate was assessed with MTT colorimetric assay, and expression of genes involved in apoptosis (P21, BID, BCL-2, RB1, MDM2) in cancer cells treated with IC25 concentration of plant extract was evaluated by real-time PCR technique. RNA extraction from MCF-7 and HGF-1 cells was performed according to the RNX-plusTM kit instructions. cDNA synthesis was performed using Fermentase Company's kit (RevertAid First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit) and according to its instructions. In this study, the GAPDH gene was used as an internal control.

The results of the MTT assay showed that the Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Poir) spach leaf methanolic extract had a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and during the experiment, with increasing drug concentration, the effect of cytotoxicity increased in both cancer and normal lines and high inhibition was observed at concentrations of 1000 and 1200 μg.ml-1. The IC50 of Pterocarya fraxinifolia methanol extract against MCF-7 and HGF-1 cell lines was 452.1 and 479.2 μg.ml-1, respectively. Real-time PCR results showed that treatment with the Pterocarya fraxinifolia plant extract enhanced the expression of the P21 gene, while expression was nearly constant in extract-treated normal cells. The BID gene expression was increased in cancer cells treated with the plant extract. In contrast, normal cells under the influence of the extract showed a slight decrease in gene expression. The plant extract decreased the expression of the BCL-2 gene in cancer cells, whereas the expression of this gene in normal cells did not change significantly under the extract. The RB1 gene expression was not significantly altered in healthy cells after plant extract treatment but increased in the cancer cell line MCF-7. MDM2 gene expression in cancer cells treated with plant extract remained unchanged, whereas it slightly increased in healthy cells treated with extract.

This study provides an overview of how Pterocarya fraxinifolia extract can inhibit cancer cell growth. This study confirms the inhibitory activity of the plant's methanolic extract on breast cancer cells. With further investigation, the plant compounds may one day be used to treat cancer.

Recording ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants preserves the scientific heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. This unique and valuable knowledge has long been passed down from generation to generation but is eroded as societies modernize. In this regard, the present study was conducted to identify medicinal plants used by residents. It also identified cultures, methods of use, and the therapeutic context of the mentioned plants in Pasargad County. In this region, herbal medicines are common, especially with the Basri nomadic tribe. To understand the factors affecting the differentiation and segregation of the region, such as ecological, cultural, historical, and land use conditions, a field visit was first conducted in the Pasargad region. Ethnobotanical information was obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire and interviews with knowledgeable people. A total of 101 informants participated in the study. The target areas for sampling were determined after dividing the region into two central parts (Saadshahr) and Madras Sulaiman based on local guides' information. Demographic information about people, such as education, gender, age group, and registered status, was considered. This research seeks local knowledge and traditional applications for identifying medicinal samples. In this regard, information was collected from native people of the region, attars, and knowledgeable people about traditional medicine and medicinal plants. The necessary interviews were conducted. To quantitatively examine the ethnobotanical information, the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants was classified using software (Excel 2021). Quantitative indices used in ethnobotanical studies allow the selection of the most influential species of medicinal plants for conducting medicinal research. In this regard, a quantitative analysis of the ethnobotanical information of local knowledge of medicinal plants based on indicators including the relative frequency of citations (RFC), usage value (UV), cultural importance (CI), and the consensus index of informants (ICF) is carried out. The collected plants belonged to 18 families, the most abundant of which were Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae families. The most common herbal medicine consumption method was boiled (30%), followed by infusion (30%) and cooking (15%). The most used medicinal parts of plants in this region were leaves and flowers, with 44% and 21%, respectively. According to this study, Shirazi thyme, Stachys inflate, and Prangos ferulacea had the highest relative frequency of citations (RFC). Plants with the highest index of cultural importance in the region included species that show their high importance in the culture of using medicinal plants. The region's local people used two species, Zataria multiflora and Matricaria chamomilla. Recorded diseases and traditional remedies from medicinal plants were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). The ICF index was calculated in 9 disease classes based on the usage report and the number of species applied to each disease class. Thus, nine categories of diseases, including digestive (GAS-D), respiratory (RES-R), nervous (NER-N), skin and hair (DER-S), general and unspecified (OTH-A), urology and kidney (URO-U), endocrine/metabolic and nutrition (MET-T, gynecological diseases (GYN-X), cardiovascular (CAR-K) were determined. The highest amount of ICF is related to three groups of gastrointestinal diseases. It was respiratory and nervous with an ICF value (of 0.92). High ICF of digestive diseases is due to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum, Pistacia atlantica, Mentha longifolia, and Glycyrrhiza glabra for digestive disorders. The second rank of ICF of respiratory diseases is related to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Achillea eriophora, and Stachys lavandulifolia. Also, the high UR of Matricaria chamomilla, Salvia officinalis, Rosa damaescena, and Ballota oucheri accounts for the high ranking. These findings are due to the high UR of medicinal plants to treat the diseases of the three mentioned ailments categories. This can have ecological and sociological reasons.

Forest and rangeland by-products, particularly medicinal plants, can contribute to sustainable development and increase economic opportunities for local communities. Medicinal plants play a significant role in society's health and disease treatment. Negligence to the preservation of medicinal heritage reserves in the field of natural resources will lead to disastrous consequences in the country's natural resources sector. Among these consequences are the rapid extinction of species and severe genetic erosion. Therefore, this study targets protection value and people's willingness to pay for medicinal plant protection and restoration. The Salas Babajani region in Kermanshah province was chosen for this research. The vegetation in this area is mainly wooded, and most of the area is covered by dense forests. Due to its diverse topography, the Salas Babajani region has a variety of forest habitats and rangeland and forest medicinal plants. Asafoetida, Thyme, Hawthorn, Wormwood, Eremurus, Dog rose, Chamomile, Sweet violet, Oak, Ferulago, Common Thistle, Horsemint, licorice, etc., are among the medicinal plants of this region. Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was used to estimate medicinal plants' non-use (protective) values in this study. Also, a Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice questionnaire was used to measure people's willingness to pay for medicinal plant protection in the region. The questionnaire was designed in two parts: socio-economic characteristics of people (age, gender, level of education, occupation, number of family members, income, and other characteristics of the respondents) and questions related to the willingness to pay of the respondents. Sampling was done by simple random sampling among residents of the Salas Babajani region in 2016. Cochran's formula from 353 questionnaires determined the number of samples. The logit model was used to measure people's willingness to pay, and the parameters were estimated based on the maximum likelihood method. The results showed that 64% of the interviewees were men and 36% were women. The average age of the respondents is 27.88 years, the average household size is 4.46, and their minimum and maximum household sizes are one person and ten people, respectively. The results also showed that more than 76% of people (269 samples) are willing to pay an amount to protect and restore medicinal plants. The average willingness of each person to pay annually for the protection and restoration of medicinal plants is equal to 5269 Tomans (according to the average household size (4.46 people) equal to 23500 Tomans for each household per year). The variables of household size and the suggested price have a significant negative effect with 95% confidence. The variables of income, gender, level of education, supporting the protection of natural resources (interest in the environment), and knowledge of the protection of medicinal plants and its relationship with sustainable development (knowledge and awareness of environmental protection) are among the most important positive influencing factors with 95% confidence on people's willingness to pay for the protection of medicinal plants. The variables of age, marital status, occupation, membership in environmental organizations, and environmental attitudes and tendencies did not affect the acceptance of the suggested price for medicinal plants conservation value. The Likelihood Ratio statistic (280.39) shows that the changes explained by the logit model are significant at a level higher than one percent. The estimated model's correct prediction percentage is also 75%. Since the percentage of correct prediction for the logit model is equal to 70%, the percentage of correct prediction obtained in this model seems favorable. Therefore, this model is reliable for further analysis. McFadden's coefficient of determination also shows that the model's explanatory variables explain well (about 0.87) the changes in the dependent variable. In terms of management, this study achieved promising results because it shows that the people of society are aware of the importance of protecting medicinal plants, and there is a desire to pay significantly for the protection and restoration of these valuable resources. Therefore, it is suggested that the government pay more attention to public participation to protect, revive, and develop medicinal plants in the forest areas of the study area.

 Medicinal plants have reservoirs rich in the active ingredients of many medicines. Medicinal plants have rich reservoirs of essential active ingredients of many drugs. Considering the importance of medicinal plants, especially in the pharmaceutical industry and their scarcity in nature, it is very important to study the various agricultural aspects of these plants, considering the increasing spread of saline soils, to find a solution. It seems necessary to prevent living and non-living environmental stresses or at least reduce them. One of these methods is the use of symbiotic relationships between mycorrhizal fungi and host plants, which reduces the stress caused by salinity. Due to the increasing expansion of saline soils, it seems necessary to find solutions that can prevent or at least reduce the living and non-living environmental stresses. There are different ways to overcome these tensions in different situations. Water salinization is one of the most important environmental limiting factors for crop production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, since Iran is located in the arid region of the world, given that salinity is one of the environmental factors. Are that have a strong effect on the growth and activity of lemongrass; There are also vast resources of saline and semi-saline groundwater, although not currently used and likely to be used in the future. Solutions to address abiotic stresses include the use of biofertilizers. One of these methods is to use the symbiosis of fungi with host plants, which leads to a reduction in salinity stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. On vegetative and biochemical traits of lemongrass under salinity stress. Salinity is one of the most important factors limiting the growth and production of crops. Fungi as a biological fertilizer can be useful in meeting the nutritional needs of plants and reducing the effects of environmental stresses on plants.
 
 The experiment was a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with two factors of four salinity levels (0, 5, 10 and 15 ds.m-1 NaCl) and fungi (no inoculation and fungal inoculation). For inoculation of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with mixed potting soil was applied to the lemongrass. Plant height, root length, fresh and dry weight of leaves, relative water content, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were measured.
 
 The results indicate that all studied traits were significantly affected by the interaction of mycorrhiza and salinity stress. The application of mycorrhizal fungi in the presence of salinity stress due to the absorption of nutrients and water led to improved growth of lemongrass. The results showed that under salinity stress of 150 mM plant height, root length, fresh and dry weight of leaves, relative water content, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes in lemongrass inoculated with arbuscular fungus at 23.05, 32.69, 25.31, 48.14, 31.83, 30.33, 52.72 and 33.41% respectively, increased compared to the control (no inoculation). In general, based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the use of mycorrhizal fungi can increase the salinity tolerance of lemongrass and cultivate it in saline soil.
 
In summary, the results of the present study showed that inoculation of the fungi can protect the lemongrass plant against salinity stress. In addition, the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on lemongrass under salinity stress has been investigated for the first time. According to the results obtained in this study, salinity reduced morphological parameters and lemongrass as a reaction to salinity to maintain its status to increase the amount of enzyme activity through the mechanism of osmotic regulation to stress conditions. Compromise and to some extent deal with salinity. In the study, it was observed that inoculation with Arbuscular had a positive effect on all measured traits. The application of mycorrhizal fungi in the presence of salinity stress due to the absorption of nutrients and water led to improved growth of lemongrass. By examining all the measured traits, it can be concluded that by using mycorrhizal fungi, the salinity resistance of lemongrass can be increased and cultivated in saline soil. Arbuscular species seems to be more suitable for improving the growth of lemongrass in all conditions.

According to the law on the protection and exploitation of forests and pastures, any exploitation of natural resources by individuals or legal persons must be done with the approval and permission of the country's natural resources and watershed management organization. Issuing a license to exploit medicinal plants is one of the most critical natural resource licenses. It has an implementation process. The evidence shows that there are various issues with issuing this license. It is necessary to conduct a scientific investigation to improve and correct the mentioned process. The upcoming research analyzes the licensing process for medicinal plants in the field of natural resources.

The current research is qualitative and applied. In order to identify the current status of the sadro process and the license to exploit medicinal plants, the qualitative research method of the focus group has been used. This research selected 64 users and 30 experts from 6 provinces. Their points of view were collected and analyzed using content analysis.

The results showed that, in total, there are 23 harms in the process of exporting the exploitation of medicinal plants, which are the multiplicity of systems and the lack of an integrated and intelligent system, the lack of a common platform for the implementation of processes in the provinces, the physicality of performing a large part of the processes, unauthorized harvesting and No product license from the plantations, lack of specialized manpower for monitoring, handing over the right of exploitation to non-native people, neglect of some observers in declaring and including the actual amount of production and harvesting of medicinal plants, the small financial and economic power of the operators to prepare the plan booklet, the largest share in the pathology of the licensing process. Also, the results showed that the average time required to obtain a license with a design booklet is 16 months. Without a design booklet, it takes 67 days. This time to get a license to transport the product inside the province was estimated to be 17 days on average and 23 days outside the province.

Issuing a license to harvest medicinal plants is one of the most critical licenses in the country's natural resources sector, which has its implementation process. There are various issues and problems in issuing this license, leading to problems and dissatisfaction among the users and, ultimately, damage to the rangelands. Therefore, taking measures to improve affairs and reform this process is a fundamental issue that needs to be investigated and proposed a solution. Based on the findings of this investigation, the creation of an integrated electronic system, continuous and regular field monitoring through intrusive intrusions at the various stages of medicinal plant exploitation, especially in the harvesting phase, with the cooperation of the engineering system organization, the priority of the exploitation contract with natives and local communities, and improving the motivation for public sector experts can be effective in enhancing the process.

To investigate the effects of soil fertility methods on economic yield and essential oil compositions of Nigella sativa L., an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included different levels of NPK chemical fertilizer, manure, NPK+ manure, and NPK+ manure+ inoculation of Azorizobium biofertilizer. Seed yield, aerial parts yield, and percentage, yield, and essential oil compounds were studied. The results showed that the highest seed yield (1270.43 kg.ha-1) was obtained in the 40 kg.ha-1 N+ 32 kg.ha-1 P+ 40 kg.ha-1 K+ 30 ton.ha-1 manure treatment. The highest percentage (0.25%) and essential oil yield (2.8 kg.ha-1) was obtained in the 40 kg.ha-1 N+ 32 kg.ha-1 P+ 40 kg.ha-1 K+ 30 ton.ha-1 manure+ Azurizobium treatment. The highest thymoquinone percentage (14.9%) was observed in the 30 ton.ha-1 manure treatment. Overall, the integrated and biological treatments had the most positive effects on seed yield and essential oil percentage of N. sativa. The use of suitable fertilizer sources not only increased the yield, essential oil percentage, and thymoquinone content in Nigella sativa, but also reduced the consequences of excessive use of chemical fertilizers. The use of integrated fertilization methods is an effective step to achieve the sustainable agriculture goals.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is one of the widely used medicinal plants. Seeds of this plant are heart-strengthening, invigorating, and toothache painkiller and cure bloody diarrhea and typhoid. Due to the tiny seeds, it needs to be cultivated at low depth of soil for successful establishment. Therefore, it is necessary to use the right method for its cultivation. In the present study, to improve the uniformity in seed germination and increase growth rate and coriander yield, three experiments were conducted as a randomized complete block design (field test) and a completely randomized design (laboratory and greenhouse tests). In the laboratory test, indole-3-acetic acid and humic acid and in the field test, indole-3-acetic acid, humic acid, gibberellin, and zinc improved coriander yield. Also, humic acid pretreatment reduced harmful fatty acids such as myristic acid and palmitic acid, phosphorus pretreatment increased total fat amount, and indole-3-acetic acid increased essential oil content compared to the control. In the greenhouse test, folic acid improved plant yield. Stepwise regression analysis indicated inclusion of seven properties in the predictive model with a determination coefficient of 0.97. Based on the traits correlation results, secondary vigor, root fresh or dry weight, and root diameter were consistent with total dry weight as a dependent trait (significant at the 1% probability level). Overall, coriander seed priming improved the biological functions of seeds, including germination and establishment, by affecting the metabolic, biochemical, and enzymatic status of the seeds. The present results showed that seed priming is a key technology to improve plant yield.

To evaluate the plant adaptation and effects of irrigation cycles and NPK elements on growth and yield parameters of Zingiber officinale R., a split-plot experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications in two regions including Pakdasht (Tehran province) and Lahijan (Gilan province) in 2021. The experimental factors included irrigation cycle at three levels (4 (V1), 6 (V2), and 8 (V3) days) as the main factor and NPK elements at three levels (N300P100K200 (F1), N350P150K250 (F2), and N250P50K150 (F3) (kg.ha-1)) as the sub-factor. The results showed that the irrigation×NPK effects was significant on plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, number of branches per plant, leaf area index, fresh and rhizome dry weight, and rhizome yield at the 1% probability level and on stem diameter at the 5% probability level in Pakdasht region. The V1F2 treatment was the best one in this region. In Lahijan region, the irrigation×NPK effects was significant on number of leaves per plant and rhizome yield at the 1% probability level and on plant height and stem diameter at the 5% probability level. The best result in Lahijan was obtained in the V1F2 treatment. Also, in terms of leaf area, number of branches per plant, and leaf area index, V1 and F2 was the best treatments in Lahijan. Fresh and rhizome dry weight had the best results in the V2 and F2 treatments. Overall, the studied traits in Lahijan climate were superior to Pakdasht climate and every 4 days irrigation for Pakdasht and every 6 days for Lahijan had the best results.

Moshgak [Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss] belonging to the Apiaceae family is widely distributed in the south of Iran. Fars province is one of the important habitats of this plant and it is important to collect information about the distribution of this plant in different parts of Fars province. In this research, the essential components of plants collected in Khor region (Larestan, southeast of Fars province) were investigated for the first time. Collection of plant samples was done in April 2019 from Khor Larestan region.In this study, the essential oil components of plants collected in Khoor region of Fars province were studied for the first time. The essential oils of the collected samples were extracted by water distillation using a Clevenger apparatus and the quality of the essential oils were evaluated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. According to the results, 22 chemical compounds were identified in the essential oil, including ο-cymene, γ-terpinene, Linalooll, n-Decanal (37.63, 19.05, 16.26, 4.94 percent respectively). They formed the highest concentration and bulk of the essential oil, which was different from the results reported about the essential oil compounds of mushkag collected from other parts of Fars province. It seems that one of the reasons for this difference in the results is due to the climatic conditions.

Barberry is one of the most important horticultural crops that has a privileged position among horticultural products due to its unique medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the fruit of some wild barberry genotypes in Shahroud to introduce the superior genotypes. 27 barberry genotypes were selected from three regions of Shahroud (Nekarman, Olang and Dehkhair), and sampling from each genotype was done in three replications. Morphological traits including fruit width and length, fruit weight, fruit tail length, seed width and length, seeds weight, number of seeds per fruit, leaf length, leaf width, petiole length, as well as total phenol and flavonoid, anthocyanins content and antioxidant activity were evaluated. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the genotypes in terms of the evaluated traits. The highest length, width and weight of fruit, seed length and width, seeds weight, seeds number per fruit, leaf length and width, petiole and cluster length were observed in Olang 1 (OL1) genotype. Fruit weight in the studied genotypes, varied from 0.09 in Nekarman 5 (NK5) to 0.28 g in OL2 and 0.27 g in OL1 genotypes. The highest amount of phenol (75 mg/g FW), flavonoids (37.2 mg/100 g FW) and antioxidant activity (38%) were recorded in OL3 genotype. Genotypes collected from Neckarman region had considrable anthocyanins content. According to the results, the highest (109%) and lowest (6.10%) amount of phenotypic coefficient of variation were observed for chroma index and cluster length, respectively.

 Fertilizer management is one of the main factors in achieving sustainable agriculture. Therefore, the integrated agricultural system recommends the use of organic matter along with the optimal use of chemical fertilizers. This method is a balanced way to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, which leads to improved growth and increased plant yield. Organic fertilizers, especially livestock manures, have higher levels of organic matter than chemical fertilizers, and can be considered as sources of nutrients, especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. One of these organic fertilizers is poultry manure, which in addition to having macro and micro elements (manganese, iron, copper, and boron) is one of the cheapest fertilizers compared to other fertilizers used. It is also richer in terms of nitrogen than other animal fertilizers. Soil fertility is the factor that change the amount of active substances and essential oils. Micronutrients such as zinc, although needed in small amounts by plants, play an important role in plant growth and development. The application of zinc sulfate fertilizer improved the quantitative and qualitative attributes of basil, peppermint, sage, and rosemary. Researchers stated that the application of a combination of chemical fertilizers and poultry manure has increased the yield of garlic essential oil. Therefore, in recent years, integrated plant nutrition management has been discussed. Integrated plant nutrition management is based on the simultaneous application of organic, chemical, and biological fertilizers. Because organic fertilizers alone can’t provide the needs of high-yielding plants. Combined application of organic, chemical, and biological fertilizers can improve the physical and chemical conditions of the soil and increase organic carbon and nutrients.  Savory is an aromatic medicinal plant from the mint family. This plant has a lot of essential oils and is very important in the food, pharmaceutical, and health industries. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of poultry manure and zinc sulfate in the cultivation of savory.

 The present experiment was performed as a factorial in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The factors consisted of poultry manure with four levels (0, 3, 6, and 9 t.ha-1) and the second factor zinc sulfate with four levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg.kg-1 soil).

 According to the obtained results, the effect of poultry manure, zinc sulfate, and their interaction on most of the studied traits was significant. The highest height was observed in the treatment of poultry manure of 9 t.ha-1 + zinc sulfate in 100 mg. kg-1 soil, which showed an increase of 79.26% compared to the control, and the lowest height belonged to the control treatment. The total chlorophyll in the chicken manure treatment of 6 t.ha-1 + zinc sulfate in 150 mg. kg-1 had a significant increase compared to the control. The highest amount of leaf nitrogen was obtained in the treatment of poultry manure of 9 t.ha-1 + 50 mg.kg-1 with an increase of 82.03% compared to the control. Zinc element was observed with a 222.75% increase in poultry manure treatment of 9 t.ha-1 + 150 mg.kg-1. Poultry manure treatment of 6 tons per hectare + 150 mg.kg-1 with 261.53% increase compared to the control contained the highest percentage of essential oil.

 The results of the study showed that the use of combined ratios of poultry organic fertilizer and zinc sulfate has been effective in improving vegetative attributes, available plant elements, and essential oil content.