EFFECTS OF SALINITY AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THYMUS VULGARIS AND LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA ON GROWTH, ETHYLENE PRODUCTION AND ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENTS

This study evaluated the effects of salinity on thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) plants grown alone and in combination with each other. After transplanting, two-month-old plants received nutrient solutions supplemented with 0, 50, and 100mM sodium chloride (NaCl) for 21 d. Thyme and lavender grown alone were each more tolerant to salt stress than thyme and lavender grown together. In the 100mM NaCl treatment, all lavender plants grown with thyme died. In thyme, the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents of the roots increased. Ethylene production in thyme was stimulated by salinity only in plants that interacted with lavender. However, in lavender, ethylene production was not influenced by the presence of thyme. The production of essential oils (EOs) was increased by salinity in thyme plants, whereas the EO production of lavender plants depended on the presence of thyme.