The effects of gamma irradiation (GR) on total phenol, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity were investigated in three different Persian pistachio nuts at doses of 0, 1, 2 and 4 kGy. The antioxidant activity, as determined by FRAP and DPPH methods, revealed a significant increase in the 1-2 kGy dose range. Total phenol content (TPC) revealed a similar pattern or increase in this range. However, when radiation was increased to 4 kGy, TPC in all genotypes decreased. A radiation dose of 1 kGy had no significant effect on anthocyanin content of Kale-Ghouchi (K) and Akbari (A) genotypes, while it significantly increased the anthocyanin content in the Ghazvini (G) genotype. In addition, increasing the radiation to 4 kGy significantly increased the anthocyanin content of K and G genotypes. To conclude, irradiation could increase the phenolic content, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity of pistachio nuts.

Pistachio nuts are rich sources of nutrients which are essential for human wellbeing. In the present study we investigate the variation of oil, protein, total phenol, mineral contents, and antioxidant activity of twenty rare Persian pistachio nuts and exocarp layer. Among the 20 pistachio genotypes, in seeds Mn concentration was varied from 5.73 to 17.33 mg/kg; Fe ranged from 17 to 62.4 mg/kg; Zn varied from 6.76 to 30.3 mg/kg; Na ranged from 0.06 to 0.126%; K varied from 0.68 to 1.35%; P varied from 0.42 to 0.73%; N ranged from 2.6 to 4.29%; Mg varied from 0.11 to 0.17%, Ca varied from 0.23 to 0.47%, oil ranged from 47.94 to 57.29% and protein ranged from 16.26 to 25.5%. The G3 genotype had the highest total phenol content (35.64 mg GAEs/g) and antioxidant activity (90.55%) in exocarp layer and oil content in seeds (57.29%). The highest phosphorus (0.73%) in exocarp layer and phenol (4.2 mg GAEs/g) contents in seeds were observed in G19. According to the correlation analysis, there were a correlation between total phenol (in exocarp layer) and oil contents gain with some values; these two values had a significant correlation with PC1. Cluster analysis separated the genotypes into three groups considering all measured Values

Chemical composition and essential oil yields from aerial parts of 31 Iranian Achillea millefolium accessions, each collected from their natural habitats of Iran and grown together in field conditions, were investigated. The concentrations of the hydro-distilled essential oils ranged from 0.03% to 0.39%. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis revealed 50 compounds in the accessions. The main components of the essential oils in Iranian A. millefolium accessions varied in the following ranges: 1,8-Cineole, 1.2–19.8%; β-thujone, 0.4–55.3%; camphor, 0.6–25.5%; germacrene-D, 2–20.6%; trans -nerolidol, 0.4–48.1%; isospathulenol, 0.5–36%; and cubenol, 0.1–42.9%. According to cluster analysis, five chemotypes were obtained as 1,8-Cineole/ trans -nerolidol, high cubenol, high germacrene-D/isospathulenol, high camphor/cubenol, and high 1,8-Cineole/ β-thujone/cubenol. The result of principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that germacrene-D and isospathulenol components were under more genetic control than the other main components. Results revealed a high level of variation of composition and yield of essential oils among the Iranian A. millefolium accessions.