Download Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

MEDICINAL, AROMATIC AND SPICE PLANTS
IN ORGANIC FARMING
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General
Legal framework for the commodity of medicinal, aromatic and spice plants
Act No. 242/2000 Coll. on organic farming applies to organically gown medicinal,
aromatic and spice plants in the same way as to other crops of vegetable production. The Act
as well as the implementing regulation have been accepted by the European Union as fully
compatible with the EU legislation. Having acceded to the EU, the Czech Republic as an EU
member-country is now also bound by Council Regulation No. 2092/91, known as the socalled Eco-regulation.
Medicinal, aromatic and spice plants belong to the products of the common
agricultural market and agricultural policy of the European community. However, within the
EU regulations they do not have any common market organization of their own as other
agricultural commodities. Therefore, the rules of law concerning the MASP (medicinal,
aromatic and spice plants) are subject to several areas of the EC legislation, which is also the
situation that now exists in the Czech Reublic. At present, The EC legislation is binding for us
as well. In the Czech Republic, the organically cultivated production as well as the organic
farming itself, particularly the organically grown medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs and
products of this commodity, have considerably increased in the recent years. In this context,
the organic farming holds a very important position as it is fully consistent with the principles
of sustainable development. In the framework of the EU, the Czech Republic supports the
Common agricultural policy concerning issues of both the organic farming and the MASP
commodity and respects the basic trend of development..
The basic principles of organic farming in the area of vegetable production apply
to the commodity of medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs mainly because they are used for
the production of traditional and natural pharmaceuticals and as spices.
Crop rotation
The basis is a balanced crop rotation. Typical crops that are newly introduced into the crop
rotation or reinstated there after some years, are the clover grass, lucerne (alfalfa), other
leguminose plants, winter rye, spelt, common barley, flax, potatoes and field vegetables.
The crop rotation should:
 enable the maintenance or improvement of soil fertility
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 contribute to the reduction of population density of weeds, pests and vegetative
diseases
 enhance erosion control
 include clover or pulse plants
 facilitate the use of green manuring (underseeding and undersowing, stubble field
intercrops)
 adhere to the principles of crop rotation
 enable a ground cover for the longest possible time (preferably also over winter)
It is prohibited to cultivate the same or closely related crops immediately one after the other
and use a crop rotation relying exclusively on external inputs, burning of straw, after-harvest
residues and organic matter from perennial cultures in open fire.
Nutrition and fertilization
All measures have to be directed at achieving the closest possible cycle of nutrients on the
farm, including the use of organic farming residues and utilization of local resources. The
fertility of soil and biological activity of soil is ensured by the following measures:
 growing of papilionaceous plants, green manure crops and deeply rooting plants
 using suitable and varied crop rotation
 organic manuring (farmayard manure, composted plant residues, waste from
mushroom growing, composted bark etc.)
Fertilizers have to be composted or fermented. The method of storing and treating yard
manure has to prevent any contamination of environment. Mineral fertilizers are mostly
complementary.
In organic growing of medicinal herbs, the following organic fertilizers come into
question: horse manure, mushroom substrate, chips, peat, straw. Most organic growers
prepare their own composts consisting of mowed green matter, such as phacelia, clover,
mustard, mowed weeds, lucerne, plant residues, and horse manure, earth, lime.
Composted soil develops during 5-9 months. For complementary nutrition, growers use
green manure – phacelia, lucerne, clover and/or herb extracts, so-called "plant sauces" of
their own making – e.g. from comfrey, which is a plant rich in nitrogen and calcium. The
plant sauce is a liquid manure consisting of water and plant material. This mixture
develops by fermentation. The most uual mix contains 1 kg of fresh herbs or 150 grs of
dried herbs per 10 litres of water. The quantitative data oscillate according to a particular
herb and active ingredient. Nettle, horsetail, comfrey, dandelion and other herbs are used for
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the preparation of the manure. These liquid manures have stimulating effects and enhance
growth. They help reinforce the plant and make it resistant against pests and diseases.
Plant protection
In organic farming, harmful organisms (except for the quarantine ones) are regarded as
a part of agrocenosis. Their control does not principially attempt at their extinction, but
reduction of their population density under the treshold of harmfulness. The control of
harmful organisms is based on preventive measures, such as:

crop rotation

choice of suitable sorts and varieties of crops

mixed cultures and crop management

intercrop growing and mulching

tending of organically stabilizing elements (balks, holding covers etc.)

mechanization
Direct plant protection is based on physical, biotechnical and biological methods.
One of the basic methods of weed control in organic growing of medicinal herbs is
mulching. The mulching cover provides a simple method of protection against weed
infestation and simultaneously forms a nutritious compost, retains moisture in the soil.
Mowed grass, straw and wood chips are mostly used for the soil cover. Vegetable essential
oils such as mint or caraway essential oil are used as natural insecticides or fungicides for
the growing of medicinal herbs,. Other means of control are herbal brines, extracts, plant
sauces and natural spray decoctions. A herbal brine is prepared by pouring water over the
required quantity of plant and leaving it for 10-15 minutes to settle. The mixture is then
decanted and used after it has cooled down. The most suitable plants for the preparation of the
mixture are common horsetail, common dandelion, European wormwood and chamomile. For
maceration, fresh plants are pickled in cold water for 12-24 hours. These natural sprays
can also be used for seed dressing against fungal diseases – e.g. powdery mildew of cereals.
Medicinal herbs as natural spray preparations.
Common horsetail is used from early spring till late autumn for preventive sprays (for
decoction and brine refer to the common recipe); the decoction enhances resistance against
fungal diseases such as mildew, scab, rust etc. The plant sauce is effective against plant lice,
spider mites and has reinforcing effects.
Common comfrey is used during the growing season as liquid manure (the plant sauce is
prepared according to the common recipe) which is rich in N and K and has reinforcing
effects.
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Common nettle comes up during the growing period in the form of either a liquid manure
(dilution 1:10) or a foliar spray (dilution 1:20); generally, it reinforces plants and repels
insects. Law extract in cold water affects plant lice.
Chamomile in the form of a brine (50 grs of dried flowers per 10 litres of water) is
sprayed on plants and compost in summer; it reinforces plants and activates compost, and is
also used for seed dressing.
European wormwood is sprayed in spring and summer as a raw extract (300 grs of fresh
haulm or 30 grs of dried haulm per 10 litres of water) while a brine (diluted 1:3) serves as a
protection against ants, plant lice, white butterflies and grubs in summer and autumn.
Besides natural means, protective belts of e.g. stone dust, lime, wood ash or mechanical
means such as mechanical barriers, sticky bands, protective nets etc. can be used.
Seeds and seedlings
Reproductive material from recognized, organically cultivated areas is used. In the
commodity of medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs the assortment of seeds and seedlings is
limited or completely missing. For this reason, untreated, conventionally produced seeds have
to be used to some extent for some medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs. Another possibility
for the growers is to cultivate reproductive material of their own.
Conversion to organic farming
Plants grown on the surface for minimum 3 years can be regarded as organically grown
medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs. This surface has to be treated only by techniques
permitted by the Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 and the gathering of these MASPs has to
adhere to the requirements of this regulation.
The conversion plan is implemented according to the Council Regulation (EEC) No.2092/91
and the Act on Organic Farming No. 242/2000 Coll. in respect of the provisions concerning
the medicinal, aromatic and spice herbs, as well as the valid legislation for this commodity.
One of the possible types of conversion to organic farming is the division of land into
individual strips (gardens) according to the original division of plots. On every strip, a
sequence of particular agricultural operations is performed (harrowing, rolling, sowing of
crops for green manuring – lucerne, tansy phacelia, white mustard) depending on the intended
growing of predetermined medicial and aromatic herbs, future exploitation of lands and a
particular situation on the plot. In dependence of the size of the growing area, two or more
plots are utilized for the production of green manure. An organically cultivated plot can be
demarcated by a system of hedges.
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SILVICULTURAL METHODS OF SELECTED MEDICINAL
HERBS
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Importance: Chamomile is the oldest, the most used drug and its growing has a longyear
tradition in the Czech Republic. The drug is the Flos chamomillae vulgaris (chamomile
flower).
Active substances: essential oil 1.6-3%, flavone glycosides, slimes, bitter substances
Effects: anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsionary, disinfective, the drug is frequently used in
children´s medicine.
Botanical characteristic: Aster family – Asteraceae. Annual herb of spring or winter form.
Height of the plant up to 50 cms. Leaves are thin, pinnate, at first they form a leaf rosette,
later lateral branches grow under the axilla of leaves. Flowers grow on pedicles (length 5-10
cms) and form an anthodium – perianth, flower base, tongue-type and tubular type flowers.
The flower base is hollow. The seeds are small, finned, there are as many as 45,000 samarae
(chamomile easily turns into a weed plant). WMS (weight of onethousand seeds) ranges from
0,046 to 0,52 grs. The seed germinating ability can be 3 years and more, during storage the
germination power drops rapidly.
Chemocultivars: They have come into existence thanks to long-term effects of specific
environmental conditions and cultivation. The essential oil content is established genetically.
The chemocultivars differ one from another by the essential oil composition according to the
prevailing component:
1. A type – bisabololoxide A, azulene up to 20% (Czech, Polish, Hungarian)
2. B type - bisabololoxide B, little or no azulene (Argentinian)
3. C type - α-bisabolol, little azulene, (Bulgarian, German)
4. D type - α-bisabolol and bisabololoxide, little azulene (Yougoslav)
5. E type - bisabololoxide A, B, low azulene content (Turkish, Bulgarian)
Varieties grown in the Czech Republic are cultivars of the A type.
Bohemia: 0,47% of essential oil, the most important, more than 36% of A type bisabololoxide in
the essential oil, 20% azulene
- growing allowed in 1952, country of origin: the Czech Republic
Bona: 0.7-1.0% of essential oil, 43% of bisabololoxide, 16-28% of azulene
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- 1984, country of origin: Slovakia
Goral: 0.7-1.0% of essential oil, tetraploid, composition identical with that of Bona, 23.8%
of bisabololoxide, decaying flowers, suitable for industrial processing
-
1990, country of origin: Slovakia.
Lutea: 1.2% of essential oil, 43.3% of bisabololoxide, 21.2% of azulene
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tetraploid, derived from the foregoing variety, country of origin: Slovakia. Large
flowers, suitable for all conditions of production.
Novbona: 0.9% of essential oil, 46.1% of bisabololoxide, 18% of azulene
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diploid, derived from the Bona variety and fitting to all production areas. Country
of origin: Slovakia
Chamazulene – develops from azulene during distillation or by hot water treatment. It has
healing and disinfection effects.
Demands on environment: Chamomile is adaptable, undemanding. It tolerates light as well
as heavy soils, preferably the sandy-loamy type, its pH is neutral or slightly alkalic. It requires
ample moisture for germination (450-650 mms/year). Drought in April-May is detrimental.
Biology: Chamomile germinates in light at 6-7oC, in 4-7 days at sufficient moisture level and
in 21-56 days if the air is not moist enough. In good moisture conditions it sprouts in 10-14
days. The leaf rosette is formed after 30-40 days, it has about 40 leaves and, if the plant sown
in autumn, hibernates in this stage. It is in flower for 40-70 days, exceptionally 120 days, the
optimum temperature is 19-20°C.
The essential oil originates in glandiform trichomes and special canals, mostly in the tubularform flowers (yellow centres). Its content fluctuates during the day and at night, the minimum
occurs in the night hours and around midday in a cloudy and rainy weather, the maximum is
reached between 2-5 p.m. on clear and sunny days. The optimum temperature for the creation
of essential oil is 20-25 °C, the stalks, leaves, roots contain 0.1% of the essential oil.
Crop management practice
Inclusion in the crop rotation: Suitable forecrops are winter rape, a cereal (the most usual),
thyme, mint, anise and plantain. Unsuitable forecrops are fertilized root and tuber crops and
leguminous plants.
Nutrition: It is classified among the off-going crops. It does not require any special
fertilizing. It can grow 1-2 years as an underplant crop in newly established parks and is used
for mulching.
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Soil preparation: classical soil preparation, consisting of stubble breaking, standard plowing,
careful ground levelling (dragging, harrowing, rolling)
Sowing: Chamomile requires light for its germination, therefore it is sown on the soil surface.
The rows are 45 cms wide, in the case of band sowing the width is 60 cms. The sowing rate is
1.5-2.0 kg/ha (effectively 1.0-1.5 kg). The seeds are minute, therefore it is necessary to sow in
the calm, also the steepness of the land has to be heeded so that the seeds may not be washed
down the slope.
Time of sowing:
1. early autumn (from mid August to mid September) for higher altitudes, so that the
leaf rosette may be formed still before the arrival of winter
2. late autumn (from October to November) in dry regions; chamomile only sprouts in
spring. It should not be sown on slopes, because it might be washed down during
snow melting or by rain
3. spring (before April 10) – sprouting in this season may prove to be less certain due
to the risk of precipitation shortage (spells of drought etc.)
Treatment during vegetation: After sprouting, hoeing is carried out when plants are 5 cms
high. Attention has to be paid to the plants not being covered with earth. During vegetation,
hoeing takes place as needed.
Pests: black and plum aphids, European thrips. By sucking, they cause disintegration of the
tubular flowers and impair them. Protection is possible by means of preparations outlined
in the opening part. Grubs of meal moths may turn up in stores, clean storage rooms should
provide satisfactory prevention.
Harvest: Harvesting is carried out during technical ripeness when the white tongue-type
flowers are in the horizontal position. The harvest itself is done 1) manually or by means of
combs (similar to bilberry pickers) 2) by pickers in the form of drums with combs of 2-3 m
working width.
Time of harvest: from end May to June (of plants sown in early autumn), June (harvest of
plants sown in late autumn), no sooner than July 15 (spring sowing). Interval between
harvests is to be 4-8 days, minimum number of harvests: 2, maximum 6-10.
After-harvest treatment: Immediately after harvest, chamomile has to be dried in cabinet or
conveyer driers. Layer thickness: 20-30 cm, t = 35°C, drying time 6-8 hours, no turning
during drying. Let breathe after drying for 6-12 hours. Yield: 0.5-1.0 t/ha of dry drug.
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Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Importance:
The drug is represented by full-blown flowers with a perianth or tongue-type flowers – Flos
Calendulae. It has anti-flammatory, bactericidal, anti-convulsionary, diaphoretic effects.
It is used in blended teas gainst gall-bladder, stomach, intestine and urinary-bladder diseases.
It is applied externally against flammatory diseases of skin, to heal frostbites, burns or crural
ulcers. In cosmetics, calendula is suitable for the production of creams and lotions. It can also
be encountered in the traditional medicine.
Active substances: caretenoids, saponins (calendulocide), essential oil, salicylic acid.
Botanical characteristic: Aster family – Asteraceae. An annual plant which sprouts in 10
days, its initial growth is quite rapid. It is noted for a long flowering season which is an
important feature for a floral drug. It flowers for 4-6 weeks.
Demands on environment: It is undemanding on cultivation methods, it does well on soils
from medium to heavy types. It requires ample light. It fits to both sugar-beet and potato
growing regions as well as marginal conditions. It withdraws a lot of nutrients from soil (it
creates a good deal of biomass).
Crop management practice: Suitable forecrops are root and tuber plants, cereals, pulses,
vegetables. The soil preparation is carried out in the classical way, emphasis is laid on weed
killing. Sowing by grain seeders is possible. The sowing rate is 12-15 kg/ha. The sowing time
is April. The width of rows ranges from 45 to 50 cms, hoeing is done twice during vegetation.
Varieties: Both our varieties are rich of flower. Both of them are noted for an orange
colouring of flowers.
Plamen (Flame): 1950
Plamen plus: 1999, has larger flowers.
Nutrition: If the crop is sown after organically fertilized root and tuber plants or after pulses,
no further fertilization is necessary. Organic fertilizing is recommended after cereals (see the
general part).
Harvest: the full-blown little disks are harvested by hand as they open . The harvest time is
end June to July. They are dried at 60-70°C (they retain their orange colour). The yield ranges
between 1.5-2.0 t/ha of dry flowers in the form of perianth, or 0.5 – 0.8 t/ha of dry tonguetype flowers.
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Mint (Mentha piperita)
Importance: Natural hybrid which originated in England in the 17th century as a cross
hybrid of Mentha spilata x Mentha aquatica (spearmint x water mint). It multiplies solely by
vegetative propagation. It does not occur outdoors and can only be found in places where it
had been grown before. In open nature there are corn mint, water mint, spearmint or applescented mint. The have different essential oil contents, give out more smell and are processed
in liqueur and food production.
Use: Mint can be found in pharmacopeiae all over the world. The effects are disinfecive,
cooling, it alleaviates convulsion of teres and supports the creation of bile. It is a component
of tea blends, chewing gums, it has its use in cosmetics, liqueur and food production. The
drug in question is Herba menthae piperitae.
Active substance: It is the essential oil, 0.5-3%, consisting of 50-70% of menthol, 10-20% of
methon (which should not be present in too large a quantity), 2.5-5.0% of menthofuran, 0.1%
of jasmone.
Botanical characteristic: Lamium family (Lamiaceae). Mint is a perennial shallow-rooted
plant and, therefore, sensitive to heat. It forms underground stems – underground runners up
to a radius of 50 cms. The stem is upright, tetragonal, 50 cms high or more, amply branching,
with violet colouring on the lower part. Flowers form whorls (of violet colour) and do not
develop seeds, the plant multiplies by vegetative propagation.
Varieties grown in the Czech Reublic.
Perpeta – 1941- a good composition of the essential oil, the most stable, still grown
Multimentha – 1969- originated in Germany, not too popular locally, suffers from mint rust.
Mentola – 1988- more resistant against mint rust, grown as a triennial plant.
Deposit of the essential oil: The essential oil is located on the surface of leaves in the form of
uni- or multicellular trichomes and can, therefore, be easily destroyed. It is created during the
ontogenesis of the plant, up to 30% on the young leaves and about 60% on the old ones.
Most of the essential oil accumulates at the beginning of the flowering season and
consequently the plant is harvested at this time. The essential oil is released by mutual contact
of leaves in the wind (lees).
Demands on environment: In warm regions where the total of yearly temperatures reaches
more than 2400°C and where precipitation of 500-600 mm per vegetation is abundant, there is
a high yield of the essential oil (Southern Moravia). If the plant is grown for the drug, cooler
areas in higher altitudes are more advantageous, (sugar-beet growing regions are more
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suitable than the potato-growing ones), since a better composition of the essential oil can be
attained there. The plant requires warm soil, rich in humus, with pH equal to 5-7. It is
classified as a long-day plant. It starts to sprout at the soil temperature of 2-3°C and its growth
proceeds most rapidly at 10°C. The largest quantity of essential oil is produced at 18-20°C at
the start of the flowering time.
Crop management practice: Suitable forecrops are fertilized root and tuber plants and
cereals. The mint can return to the same land after five years at the earliest. The maximum
growing period in our conditions is 3 years, depending on the occurrence of mint rust. As
regards nutrition, no organic fertilizer is applied after fertilized root and tuber plants, whereas
it is applied after cereals (see the general part).
Plantation establishment: Planting time: autumn – October, beginning November, the soil is
sufficiently moist
in spring - April
Seedlings are planted in excavated furrows (13-15 cms deep), the rows are 60 cms wide
(depending on the planter type). Seedlings are in the form of undeground stems – the stolons
are 10 cms high and have 3 buds, furrows have to be earthed up. Economically, the best
method for a grower is to cultivate his own seedlings from annual plants on the area of 250300 m2 for a plantation of 1 ha. They are not cultivated for haulm and are lifted by a potatoe
digger. Another method is represented by apical shoots for the improvement of plants which
are let to take roots in a hotbed; this method is used for smaller plots.
Treatment during vegetation: Mechanical harrowing takes place before sprouting, another
harrowing follows when plants are 5-7 cms high. Hoeing or earthing up when plants reach the
height of 10-18 cms. Irrigation is carried out in drought at the height of 8-10 cms, during
branching and bud formation, after the first harvest.
Harvest: In the first year of vegetation just one or no gathering is performed (the plantation is
covered and weeds are killed). On smaller areas the harvest is perfomed by hand (scythe,
sickle), larger areas are harvested by a spinach harvester, the height of stubble is 5-7 cms. The
harvest takes place in full bloom of the main stems and at the beginning of flowering of lateral
stems. The first harvest takes place at the beginning of July, the plantation is irrigated in
drought and the second harvest follows at the end of August or at the beginning of September.
Drying: Immediately after harvest. The layer thickness is 30 cms, the drying temperature
should not exceed 45°C. The yield ranges from 2.5 to 3.0 t/ha (drug, haulm), and amounts to
1.5 t/ha in the leaf form. Colours are not to change.
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Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Importance:
It is used as condiment for pickles (gherkins), sausages, in wine and liqueur production;
ground fruits are contained in the curry powder; in cosmetics it is processed for perfumes
(linalool), pharmaceutical industry appreciates its bactericidal and balming effects; it is
applied externally (e.g. as an anti-rheumatic ointment). It is known as Carmelite drug (healing
abscesses and suppurating wounds). The relevant drug is Fructus coriandri.
Active substances: Essential oil 0.4-1.5% consists of 20 ingredients (the most important: αlinalool 60-80%, geraniol 1-5%, geranilacetate 1-5%), fat 18-20%, proteins 30%, vitamins
A,C). The variety permitted in the CR: Hrubčický - 1946
Botanical characteristic: carrot family (Daucaceae). Annual plant 30-80 cms high, ribbed
stem. Ternate leaves, streaky upper leaves, inflorescence – umbel, white or pink flowers,
small, fivefold, with a low ovary, melliferous. The fruits are round, undecaying, large-fruited
diachenia. WMS (weight of onethousand seeds) = 9-18 grs or small-fruit type 5-7 grs (Czech
varieties).
Demands on environment: The plant is demanding on warm soil and air, sugar-beet- and
maize growing regions 1700-1800°C per vegetation. The plant sprouts at 4-6°C, optimum 1215°C, sprouting plants tolerate as low a temperature as –10°C. They require medium-heavy
soils with abundancy of lime, pH 6,8-7,5, ample moisture (particularly at an early stage of
development).
Crop management practice: It has to be included in the crop rotation, after 4-5 years at the
earliest. Suitable forecrops are cereals, pulses (pea, bean). Fertilized root and tuber plants and
anise cannot be recommended. Coriander itself is not a suitable forecrop for fruit orchards as
it roots excrete substances wich cause death of wood species. The soil is prepared in the
classical way.
Sowing time: end of March, at the soil temperature of 7-8°C, the sowing rate is 20-30 kg/ha.
The sowing depth is 40-50 mm and the rows are 45 cms wide (a dense cover may cause
fungal deceases).
Treatment during vegetation: Coriander is known for its slow sprouting (as many as 25 days)
and slow initial growth. 2-3 hoeings follow after sprouting. Diseases (Pseudomonas syringae)
are not too serious. The vegetation period is 80-120 days. Coriander flowers at the beginning
of June, it ripens in July-August, smells of bugs.
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Harvest: Direct combine harvesting. Well-ripened seeds with moisture less than 30% are
harvested, they are postdried to 12% of moisture at 35°C, the drying is performed
immediately after harvest. The seed yield is 1.6 t/ha, essential oil 7-17 kgs, straw 3 t/ha can
be used preventively against digestion disturbances.
.
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