Essential oils (EOs) are some of the outstanding compounds found in Thymus that can exert antifungal, phytotoxic, and insecticidal activities, which encourage their exploration and potential use for agricultural and food purposes. The essential oils (EO) obtained from Thymus kotschyanus collected in the East Azerbaijan Province (Iran) were characterized using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Thymol was the most important compound (60.48%), although 35 other active compounds were identified in the EO. Significant amounts of carvacrol (3.08%), p-cymene (5.56%), and γ-terpinene (6.67%) were found in the EO. The T. kotschyanus EO was tested against important phytopathogenic fungi (Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, and Penicillium expansum). The antifungal assay showed that the use of ≥500 ppm of EO resulted in a fungicidal effect against all funguses tested. In a similar way, the use of ≥500 ppm of EO inhibited the germination of all crop weed seeds (Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Panicum miliaceum L.) and their subsequent growth, which demonstrated its herbicidal effect. Finally, the insecticidal capacity of T. kotschyanus EO was also observed against selected insects (Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Sitophilus oryzae). O. surinamensis was more susceptible to the effect of EO (LC₅₀ = 4.78 µL/L air) than S. oryzae (LC₅₀ = 13.20 µL/L air). The obtained results of the present study can provide new safe resources to the development of new products for the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries.

In this study, the phytochemical profile, the essential oil composition of an Iranian accession of Artemisia sieberi and their antioxidant and antifungal properties were investigated. The amount of essential oil yield was 1.5% (w/v) and twenty two components were identified by GC-MS analysis being camphor (33.64%), 1,8-cineole (25.66%) and chrysanthenone (7.86%) the major compounds. The amount of total polyphenols and flavonoids, total ascorbic acid and carotenoid content of A. sieberi extract were determined, and resulted in 666.26 mg GAE/100g DW, 54.77 mg QUE/100g DW, 153.585 mg/100g DW, and 907.18 mg/100g FW, respectively. Highest antioxidant activity based on DPPH bioassay was recorded in essential oil (84.04%) and extract (89.33%). Furthermore, the essential oil of A. sieberi tested for its antifungal activity, demonstrated to reduce significantly the mycelium growth rate of Botrytis cinerea, that is, no mycelial growth was observed at concentrations 1000 and 1500 μll⁻¹.

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a horticultural crop known for its sensitivity to mechanical damage and susceptibility to postharvest decay. In recent years, various strategies have been implemented to enhance both the yield and quality of strawberries, among which the application of nitric oxide-producing compounds has garnered special attention. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of varying concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), specifically 0, 200, 400, and 600 μM, on strawberries (cv. Camarosa) cultivated in a soilless culture system. It was attempted to identify optimal treatment concentrations that would improve the quality and yield of the strawberries. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) in all morphological and phytochemical properties, as well as antioxidant and enzymatic activities, between the treated samples and the control group. Notably, the highest concentrations of total phenolics, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme activity, guaiacol peroxidase enzyme activity, and potassium content in the fruit were recorded at the 400 μM SNP treatment. Specifically, these values were 6.67 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ FW, 57.42 nmol g⁻¹ FW min⁻¹, 0.183 μmol H₂O₂ min^-1 100 ml^-1 extract, and 5.9% DW, respectively. Furthermore, the 200 μM SNP treatment yielded the highest ascorbic acid content (0.587 mg AA 100 g^-1 FW) and the lowest 50% inhibitory concentration for free radicals at 44.18 μl. In contrast, the 600 μM treatment resulted in the highest total flavonoid content (0.529 mg QE 100 g⁻¹ FW). In conclusion, the findings indicated that SNP treatment can effectively enhance the yield and improve the quality and marketability of the strawberry fruit.