Effect of Plant Density on Artemisia annua L. Biomass and Essential Oil Yield and Its Weed Seed Germination Suppression

Flavio Polito (), Michele Denora (), Donato Casiello, Pierluigi Casiero, Loriana Cardone, Vincenzo Candido, Michele Perniola, Vincenzo De Feo, Valentino Palombo and Sebastiano Delfine
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Flavio Polito: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Michele Denora: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Donato Casiello: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Pierluigi Casiero: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Loriana Cardone: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Vincenzo Candido: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Michele Perniola: Department of Agriculture, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Vincenzo De Feo: Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Valentino Palombo: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Foods, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Sebastiano Delfine: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Foods, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-17

Abstract: During spring–summer 2023 and 2024, an Artemisia annua crop was carried out, using two planting densities (20D = 5.0 plants m −2 ; 40D = 2.5 plants m −2 ). Morphological traits were measured, including height, stem number, diameter, weight, and dry above-ground biomass. The aerial parts were hydro-distilled, and the essential oil (EO) yield increased from the 1st to 2nd year, from 0.117 to 0.439% for 20D and from 0.157 to 0.550% for 40D. There were significant variations in chemical composition between the years, with an increase in the presence of oxygenated monoterpenes in the 2nd year and the disappearance of oxygenated sesquiterpenes. In the 1st year, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were the main class, while in the 2nd, oxygenated monoterpenes predominated. The main components were artemisia ketone (8.05–65.77%), eucalyptol (4.70–13.14%), and β-selinene (5.38–37.53%), present in all the EOs, and trans -caryophyllene (11.65%), present only in the 1st year EOs. The possible phytotoxicity of the EOs on seeds of plants found in the A. annua crops was evaluated. The most susceptible seeds were Sinapis alba , Papaver rhoeas, and Portulaca oleracea . The phytotoxicity was greater in the 2nd year, with more marked effects on the germination of P. rhoeas and P. oleracea (up to 100%). The inhibition of root elongation reached 100% for those at the higher concentrations tested.

Keywords: Artemisia annua L.; plant density; morphological traits; essential oil; phytotoxicity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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