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Gold crest (Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw) and Sodom apple (Calotropis procera Aiton W.T. Aiton) essential oils have distinctive biological properties, so, they can be used in drug and food industries. Harvest seasons play basic functions in the metabolism of essential oils. Due to the evidence of previous studies reported that growing seasons lead to various diversity in the essential oils and their components which reflects on its biological effects; so, the aim of current investigation was to evaluate the essential oils isolated from gold crest and Sodom apple young shoots during winter, spring, summer and autumn seasons. Essential oils were isolated by hydro distillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Obtained results were statistically analyzed using one way analysis of variance. Results showed that Gold crest and Sodom apple essential oils production are related to harvest seasons. The maximum values of both essential oil contents were resulted from samples harvested during spring season. Neral and E-phytol were the major components of gold crest and Sodom apple essential oils, respectively. Oxygenated monoterpenes was the major fraction of gold crest essential oil, while the main fraction of Sodom apple essential oil was oxygenated diterpenes. The highest amount of neral was produced from spring samples, while summer samples resulted in the maximum value of oxygenated monoterpenes. The greatest amounts of E-phytol and oxygenated diterpenes were recorded with the samples harvested in winter season. This trial avails as indication for selecting suitable season to produce essential oil according to constituents of benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are numerous uses for rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis), including aromatherapy, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial and antitumour properties. High salinity of irrigation water is one of the main barriers inhibiting the growth of rosemary cultivation in Egypt's new reclamation zones. Chitosan is a natural biopolymer which is obtained from the deacetylation of chitin and has a high potential to improve plant productivity under stressful conditions. So, this study aimed to minimize the negative effects of salty irrigation water on rosemary plants by assisting them in adjusting to salt stress through foliar application of chitosan to determine the potential for increasing their cultivation in the new reclamation zones as a natural supply of essential oil. Rosemary plants were subjected to different doses of salty irrigation water (0, 25.7, 51.3, 77.0, 102.6 mM) without or with chitosan (6 mg L-1). Plants irrigated by salty water with spraying chitosan resulted in higher values of plant aerial parts, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, protein, phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), essential oil, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium than those irrigated by salty water without chitosan. In contrast, lower amounts were found in free radical scavenging, sodium and chloride of plant treated with salty water x chitosan than those treated with saline water only. Saline water, chitosan, and their interactions caused a number of changes in detected amino acids and essential oil components. It may be summarized that productivity of rosemary plants can be improved with adapting them under saline irrigation conditions by adding chitosan. This trial benefits the producers of rosemary to alleviate the hurtful effects of saline water in reclaimed regions with adding chitosan. • Medicinal and aromatic herbs are sources of safe active materials for human health. • Rosemary essential oil has antimicrobial, antioxidant and antitumour properties. • Salinity stress can change the composition of essential oils in aromatic plants. • One method to improve herbs' outputs when they are stressed is to use chitosan. • Reclamation regions in Egypt are characterized by their exposure to stress factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]