Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD Student, Department of Horticulture and Medicinal Plants, SHIR.C.*, Islamic Azad University, Shirvan, Iran
2
Professor, Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Mashhad, Iran
3
Department of Horticulture and Medicinal Plants, SHIR.C.*, Islamic Azad University, Shirvan, Iran
4
Research Center for Medicinal and Ornamental Plants, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
10.22092/mpt.2026.373273.1228
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of location, planting date, and plant species on some physiological and biochemical traits of Withania. The experiment was conducted as a split-split plot design with a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2021. In this study, the main plot included three locations: Golmakan, Khaf, and Feyzabad. Also, the planting date treatment was applied at two levels: May 10th and June 10th as a sub-plot, and two plant species: Withania somnifera and Withania coagulans as a sub-sub-plot. The results showed that climatic differences among regions caused significant changes in physiological and metabolic traits of the plants. The Feyzabad region, due to higher temperature and lower humidity, was associated with a significant increase in proline and antioxidant enzyme activity. Also, the highest concentration of the effective substance withaferin A was observed in this region, especially in later planting dates. In contrast, the Golmakan region provided more favorable conditions for dry matter, but produced the lowest amount of effective substance. Between species, W. somnifera species had superiority over W. coagulans species in most physiological traits. In general, the results indicated that despite less growth in Feyzabad environmental conditions, withaferin A production was higher in this region, making it the best option for medicinal cultivation of Withania. Accordingly, cultivation of W. somnifera species in Feyzabad region, especially in later planting dates (mid-June), is recommended to achieve a product with higher medicinal quality.
Keywords: Antioxidant compounds, Climatic factors, Medicinal plants, Effective substance
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