Ecological aspect of growing Matricaria recutita L. plants in Western Ukraine

The influence of soil and climatic conditions and growth biostimulants on the content of biochemical indices of prooxidant and antioxidant processes in the inflorescences of M. recutita plants of cv. “Perlyna Lisostepu” was investigated. The plants were grown on sod-podzolic soil of Precarpathian and dark- gray podzolic medium loamy soil of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine under the influence of growth biostimulants “Vermymag”, “Vermyiodis” and “Vermystym”. The content of enzymes and low molecular weight metabolites in inflorescence cells was determined spectrophotometrically. Superoxide dismutase was determined by the ability of the enzyme to inhibit the photochemical reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. Peroxidase activity was analyzed by the oxidation of aminoantipyrine, and catalase activity was analyzed by the ability of hydrogen peroxide to form a stable colored compound with ammonium molybdate. The content of ascorbic acid was determined by method of Murrie with Tillmann’s reagent. Analysis of TBA (Thiobarbituric Acid) – active products was performed by determining the content of malonic dialdehyde in the interaction of MDA with 2-thiobarbituric acid. The content of essential oil in the inflorescences of M. recutita was determined by steam distillation method. An increase (p < 0.05) in the activity of enzymes of the antioxidant system in the inflorescences of M. recutita plants, grown with the application of biostimulants “Vermymag” (by 14.9–22.9%) and “Vermyiodis” (by 16.1–23.4%) in comparison with the control was established. Vermystym had no significant influence on enzyme activity. Inflorescences of plants of all experimental variants were characterized by a significantly higher content of ascorbic acid compared to plants grown in the control. The application of biostimulants promoted to the suppression of lipoperoxidation processes in plant cells. A comparative analysis of biochemical indices of inflorescences of M. recutita cultivated species with wild species was made. In the inflorescences of wild plants M. recutita was found a higher content of catalase relative to plants of cultivated species. The results of the investigation of the essential oil content in the inflorescences of M. recutita plants cv. “Perlyna of Lisostepu” showed that the medicinal plant raw materials had the high quality. The results of the investigation of the content of essential oil in the inflorescences of M. recutita plants of cv. “Perlyna Lisostepu” indicated that the medicinal plant raw materials were of high quality. However, the content of essential oil in the inflorescences of the wild species M. recutita does not meet the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine. By means of research it was established that soil and climatic conditions did not influence the activity of enzymes, lipoperoxidation processes and the content of essential oil. However, plants grown in the conditions of Western Forest-Steppe were characterized by the significantly higher content of ascorbic acid.