Introduction of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) as a valuable crop plant and medicinal plant

Chia (Salvia hispanica) is an annual plant of the Lamiaceae family. Its center of origin is in mountain areas of Mexico and Guatemala. Chia flour, mucilage and oil are made from Chia seeds that it is widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries. It is also used as an ornamental plant due to its beautiful flowers and is used as an animal feed due to the production of high biomass. Chia oil contains omega-3 fatty acids (67-54%) and omega-6 (12-21%), which are in the category of beneficial fat. Grain oil yield ranges from 29% to 33% depending on the area of origin of the chia, climatic conditions and the technique used for its extraction. The largest production center is located in Mexico, it currently exports seeds to Japan, USA, and Europe. Nowadays chia is commercially cultivated for 370,000 hectares in several agricultural regions worldwide, mainly in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, Central America, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, USA, Chile, south Italy, Brazil, Ghana and India. Since there is a little information about the introduction and cultivation of this plant in Iran and the seeds of this plant are imported, therefore, this study was carried out with the aim of studying the plant's history, botany, ecological conditions required for planting, nutritional value, chemical compounds and medicinal uses to this plant was investigated and cultivated in Iran.