A Pivotal Role of Chitosan Nanoparticles in Enhancing the Essential Oil Productivity and Antioxidant Capacity in Matricaria chamomilla L.

Chitosan is a biopolymer with several biological and agricultural applications. Recently, development of chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) adds additional value by further using it as an eco-friendly biostimulant. Therefore, the impact of CSNPs foliar application on the growth, essential oil productivity and antioxidant capacity of chamomile was investigated. Treatments comprised 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg L−1 of CSNPs applied to plants as a foliar spray. CSNPs foliar application improved the growth and productivity of chamomile plants. Relative to the control, the flower yield was increased by 52.10 and 55.74% while the essential oil percentage was increased by 57.14 and 47.06% due to CSNPs at 300 mg L−1 during the two seasons of study. Moreover, CSNPs enhanced the photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars and N, P and K percentages. Interestingly, CSNPs increased the antioxidant capacity as measured by total phenolics and the antioxidant activity (DPPH). Collectively, it is suggested that CSNPs might be a promising eco-friendly bio-stimulant and it could be an alternative strategy to improve the productivity, quality and decrease the production cost of chamomile and possibly some other medicinal species.

The use of improved cajuput seeds to encourage self-sufficiency in cajuput oil in Indonesia

Melaleuca cajuput sub sp cajuput is an indigenous species in Indonesia which primarily used for the cajuput oil industry. The demand for cajuput oil is reported at around 3,500 tons/year, while the national capacity production is only around 600 tons years−1 due to lack of grower interest in planting and low productivity of the existing plantations. Following the success of the genetic improvement of cajuput in which oil yield and cineole content are improved, carried out by CFBTI, a program to increase oil production through developing plantations using genetically improved seeds was developed in six provinces. Five small-growers and one company were involved in the program covering 35 ha and 2000 ha of a plantation, respectively. This paper aims to report the progress of the program by focusing on the impact of the improved seed and people’s participation in developing cajuput plantations. The paper also discusses the projected impact for further development of the plantations, including government policy to support increased national production of cajuput oil as well as ensuring the market. The results showed that oil productivity varied among small-grower sites ranging from 93.75 to 171.6 kg ha−1 year−1, while for the company it could be increased to reach oil productivity of 175.5 kg ha−1 year−1 through innovative technology either in the plantation or in the distillation process. As compared to the previous system using ordinary un-improved seed, the oil productivity in the program increased around 62 – 116 %. The program also revealed that the cajuput industry could be managed effectively and efficiently while maintaining the sustainability and continuity of high oil production so that Indonesia will become self-sufficient in cajuput oil.

Analysis of the directions for improving the development systems for oil fields at the later stage

The object of research is oil fields at a late stage of their development. The most problematic issues in the development of oil fields are the formation and withdrawal of residual oil reserves. This problem is especially acute at the late or final stage, when the oil productivity of the wells decreases and the water cut of the production catastrophically increases. The most acceptable development system in such conditions is the use of methods for increasing oil recovery and, first of all, by injecting water into the reservoir. At the same time, the problematic issue is the lack of reliable information on the paths of water movement from injection to production wells and the imperfection of methods for aligning the injectivity profile in injection wells and the flow profile in production wells. In the course of the study, statistically analytical methods were used to analyze the state of development of oil fields at a late stage and industrial approbation of methods for tracing water movement and substantiation of a reagent base to align the paths of water movement and oil inflow. A set of reagents and technological methods for ensuring the regulation of the process of flooding of oil fields at a late stage of their development have been investigated and developed. It has been proven that a promising direction is the injection of a 0.1 % aqueous solution of the Polycar polymer together with water. This solution first of all penetrates into highly permeable, water-washed, formation intervals, contributing to the leveling of the injectivity profile, reducing the water cut of surrounding production wells and increasing their oil productivity. Thanks to the research carried out, directions and means of improving the systems of field development at a later stage have been developed by organizing targeted (selective) waterflooding of oil deposits based on high-quality and comprehensive control of the movement of filtration flows in the reservoir. This will ultimately contribute to achieving and maintaining the design value of reservoir pressure, preventing a decrease in the rate of decline in oil production, obtaining the design value of the sweep efficiency by waterflooding, and withdrawing residual oil reserves.