Colored shade nets induced changes in growth, anatomy and essential oil of Pogostemon cablin

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of colored shade nets on the growth, anatomy and essential oil content, yield and chemical composition of Pogostemon cablin. The plants were cultivated under full sunlight, black, blue and red nets. The harvesting was performed 5 months after planting and it was followed by the analysis of plant growth parameters, leaf anatomy, essential oil content, yield and chemical composition. The plants grown under red net have produced more leaf, shoot, total dry weight and leaf area. Plants cultivated under colored nets showed differences in morphological features. Plants maintained under red net had a higher leaf blade thickness and polar and equatorial diameter of the stomata ratio. Additionally, higher yield of essential oil in the leaves was observed under red and blue colored shade net. The essential oil of the plants grown under red net showed the highest relative percentage of patchoulol (66.84%). Therefore, it is possible using colored shade nets to manipulate P. cablin growth, as well as its essential oil production with several chemical compositions. The analyses of principal components allowed observing that pogostol has negative correlation with α-guaiene and α-bulnesene. There was difference in total dry weight and patchoulol content when the patchouli is cultured under the red colored shade nets.