Effects of pre-harvest salicylic acid and irrigation interval on rhizome yield and phytochemical accumulation in Curcuma aromatica Salisb.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17268/sci.agropecu.2026.56Keywords:
Salicylic acid, Curcuma aromatica, essential oils, irrigation regime, pre-harvest stress, rhizome yield, secondary metabolites, water deficitAbstract
Curcuma aromatica Salisb. is a medicinal plant valued for its rhizomes rich in essential oils and phenolic compounds. This study aimed to determine (i) an optimal concentration of salicylic acid (SA) to improve plant performance and secondary metabolite accumulation, and (ii) the effects of different pre-harvest irrigation intervals on plants pre-treated with the selected SA concentration. Salicylic acid was applied as a foliar spray at 50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm at 18, 24 and 30 weeks after planting. Based on the initial evaluation, the optimal concentration was further evaluated under irrigation intervals of 2, 4, 8 and 16 days during the final 30 days prior to harvest. Foliar application of 150 ppm SA significantly increased rhizome fresh yield by 21.3% compared with the control, while concurrently enhancing rhizome number per plant as well as concentrations of essential oil, total polyphenols, and flavonoids compared with the control and lower SA levels. Following SA pre-treatment, an 8-day pre-harvest irrigation interval resulted in the highest rhizome yield and essential oil content. The results also suggest that integrating pre-harvest foliar SA application with subsequent moderate water restriction may improve both yield and phytochemical quality of C. aromatica under field conditions. These responses may be associated with the elicitor role of SA in promoting phenylpropanoid and terpenoid metabolism, while moderate water restriction may enhance the allocation of assimilates toward secondary metabolite accumulation.
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