Chemical profiling and potential use of Salvia officinalis L. essential oil as biological alternative for weed control

Natural plant resources can serve as alternatives to synthetic chemical products. Consequently, various plant species from different genera have recently been identified for their biological activities, such as Salvia officinalis L. The analysis of essential oils and fatty acid compounds was conducted using GC–MS. Essential oil extracted from the leaves and flowers, is highly rich in oxygenated monoterpenes. Eucalyptol (26.4–17.5%), α-thujone (11.9–9.56%), and β-thujone (22.9–10.33%) were the primary compounds in the leaves and flowers, respectively. The leaves also contained six fatty acid compounds, distinguished by a notable proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) at 58.59%. Among the fatty acids profiled, linoleic acid was the most abundant, constituting 51.1% of the total compounds. The control of weed by S. officinalis essential oil was based on inhibition of germination and seedling growth of Sinapis arvensis L., Trifolium campestre Schreb., and Lepidium sativum at a concentration of 4 µL mL⁻¹. Additionally, the essential oil impacted the malondialdehyde content and electrolyte leakage of treated seedlings.