SOILLESS CULTIVATION OF SOME MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC HERB PLANTS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF ARABIAN GULF REGION

Abstract

Production of medicinal/aromatic (MA) herb plants to meet the ever increasing demand for these plants is a major challenge facing countries in arid and semiarid regions which are characterized by limited water and land resources. Recently, soilless cultivation of medicinal plants has gained a great attention in both protected environment and outdoor conditions, due to many advantages like potential for higher yields and quality, cleaner products, year round production, with minimized use of water in comparison to conventional soil-based cultivation. The objectives of this study were to introduce five highly valued MA crops (sage, German chamomile, Jordanian chamomile, thyme and mint) into Arabian Gulf region. As the region is characterized by harsh environment, fragile ecosystems and limited water resources and arable lands, and these crops are native to Mediterranean climates and are not being grown in Gulf region, therefore, these crops were cultivated using re-circulating soilless system, and their growth was evaluated and yield was compared to soil-based yields. Results of this research showed that all studied crops were well adapted to the soilless system and outyielded the soil cultivated by 264, 313, 220, 247, and 243%, of herbal biomass for sage, German and Jordanian chamomiles, thyme and mint, respectively with much less water use (up to 70% save). Flower yields of soilless grown German and Jordanian chamomile outyielded the soil cultivated by 199 and 334%m respectively. Results suggest that introduction of these crops into Gulf region was successful especially with using soilless technology with high water saving as well as a variety of other important herbaceous medicinal plants.