Medicinal and aromatic crops: Production, phytochemistry, and utilization

Authors: JELIAZKOV, VALTCHO - Oregon State University; Cantrell, Charles

Submitted to: ACS Symposium Series
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2016
Publication Date: 8/25/2016
Citation: Jeliazkov, V.D., Cantrell, C.L. 2016. Medicinal and aromatic crops: Production, phytochemistry, and utilization. In: ACS Symposium Series. Ed(s) Jeliazkov and Cantrell, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC., Volume 1218.

Interpretive Summary: In the later part of the 20th century the United States experienced a remarkable surge in public interest towards medicinal and aromatic crops and this trend continues. This consumer interest helped create a significant demand for plants with culinary and medicinal applications as the public discovers their benefits for a wide range of applications. Consequently, this consumer call has generated a huge demand on farmers but has also provided opportunities for new agricultural crops to support both fresh and dry raw material markets. Processing raw materials for end use by consumers introduces even more variables at all levels from harvesting to final desired product. Maintaining quality and authenticity throughout this process has inspired farmers, processing facilities, and regulatory agencies to adopt new practices and new laws to maintain safety and quality. Maintaining this quality and authenticity is often made possible using analytical methods for quality control, which subsequently triggered a demand for both regulatory agencies and scientists throughout the world. For aforementioned reasons it is imperative that we continue to explore related topics from the field to the final consumer product. This book touches on many of the issues currently being addressed by scientist working to produce the desired consumer product while maintaining authenticity and quality and environmental stewardship. This volume was developed from a symposium entitled “Medicinal and Aromatic Crops: Production, Phytochemistry, & Utilization” that took place at the 249th ACS National Meeting & Exposition held on March 22-26, 2015 in Denver, Colorado, USA. The original symposium presentations addressed a wide range of issues pertaining to production, phytochemistry, and utilization of medicinal and aromatic crops and we have attempted to maintain this platform throughout the book. The chapters provide discussions on regulatory and quality issues with the essential oil supply chain, utilization of essential oils for the prevention and treatment of human opportunistic fungal diseases, phytochemistry of Schizandra chinensis cultivated in Bulgaria, breeding of German chamomile, pesticides based on plant essential oils, screening of herbicides for weed control in medicinal and aromatic crops, chemical profile and bioactivity of essential oil fractions as a function of distillation time, essential oils as powerful antioxidants, effect of plant-derived oils and compounds on ruminant fermentation, controlled environment production of medicinal and aromatic plants, benefits of soil microorganisms on medicinal and aromatic plants, and discovery of new biopesticides from medicinal and aromatic plants. We hope that this collection of chapters prepared by an international group of experts will be a valuable resource for educators and investigators working with medicinal and aromatic crops as well as those drawn by curiosity wishing to improve upon their understanding of the current challenges facing the industry.

Technical Abstract: In the later part of the 20th century the United States experienced a remarkable surge in public interest towards medicinal and aromatic crops and this trend continues. This consumer interest helped create a significant demand for plants with culinary and medicinal applications as the public discovers their benefits for a wide range of applications. Consequently, this consumer call has generated a huge demand on farmers but has also provided opportunities for new agricultural crops to support both fresh and dry raw material markets. Processing raw materials for end use by consumers introduces even more variables at all levels from harvesting to final desired product. Maintaining quality and authenticity throughout this process has inspired farmers, processing facilities, and regulatory agencies to adopt new practices and new laws to maintain safety and quality. Maintaining this quality and authenticity is often made possible using analytical methods for quality control, which subsequently triggered a demand for both regulatory agencies and scientists throughout the world. For aforementioned reasons it is imperative that we continue to explore related topics from the field to the final consumer product. This book touches on many of the issues currently being addressed by scientist working to produce the desired consumer product while maintaining authenticity and quality and environmental stewardship. This volume was developed from a symposium entitled “Medicinal and Aromatic Crops: Production, Phytochemistry, & Utilization” that took place at the 249th ACS National Meeting & Exposition held on March 22-26, 2015 in Denver, Colorado, USA. The original symposium presentations addressed a wide range of issues pertaining to production, phytochemistry, and utilization of medicinal and aromatic crops and we have attempted to maintain this platform throughout the book. The chapters provide discussions on regulatory and quality issues with the essential oil supply chain, utilization of essential oils for the prevention and treatment of human opportunistic fungal diseases, phytochemistry of Schizandra chinensis cultivated in Bulgaria, breeding of German chamomile, pesticides based on plant essential oils, screening of herbicides for weed control in medicinal and aromatic crops, chemical profile and bioactivity of essential oil fractions as a function of distillation time, essential oils as powerful antioxidants, effect of plant-derived oils and compounds on ruminant fermentation, controlled environment production of medicinal and aromatic plants, benefits of soil microorganisms on medicinal and aromatic plants, and discovery of new biopesticides from medicinal and aromatic plants. We hope that this collection of chapters prepared by an international group of experts will be a valuable resource for educators and investigators working with medicinal and aromatic crops as well as those drawn by curiosity wishing to improve upon their understanding of the current challenges facing the industry.