Study on the Cultivation of ‘Marcela’ and ‘Timijan’ Thyme Varieties in the NFT System

The research was done in the Hortinvest greenhouses, which belong to the Quality Research Center Control of Agri-food Products, Faculty of Horticulture, UASMV - Bucharest. Two varieties of Thyme were studied, ‘Marcela’ and ‘Timijan’. Seedlings for the establishment of culture in the NFT system. Insignificant discrepancies between the two research groups’ results were found at the height of the thyme plants. Years 2020, 2021, between the Marcela, Timijan, and control varieties of thyme, and the control variation regarded as the average of the experiments, respectively. The height of the wild thyme plants (Thymus vulgaris) in 2020 was higher for the Timijan variety (37.5 cm) compared to the Marcela variety (34.55 cm). In 2021, in the case of both varieties, the height of the plants was lower compared to that of 2020, i.e. of 31.83 cm for the Timijan variety and of 30.87 cm for the Marcela variety. The average for the two years of crops (2020-2021) was found to be for the plant height of 34.67 cm for the Timijan variety and of 32.71 cm for the Marcela variety. After 30 days from planting in the NFT system, as an average for two years of testing, the fresh wild thyme plants had average weights between 179.7 g for the Timijan variety and 176.9 g for the Marcela variety. We found that in 2020, the plants had a higher average weight compared to 2021. In 2021, the average weight obtained was of 186.25 g for the Marcela variety and of 183.84 g for the Timijan variety. during two years (2020 and 2021) are valuable due to their biochemical composition in the leaves, as well as in the leaves and inflorescences, and can be advised to be grown in the NFT system.


Introduction
Thyme is a perennial species with procumbent or straight stems of 15 cm in height, with elliptical or elliptical-lanceolate leaves, glabrous on both sides, the floriferous branches are cylindrical, pubescent, with pink or purple small flowers blooming in May-June and achene fruit [1].Thyme is widely utilized as a spice, medicinal plant, and aromatic herb by the locals in the growing region (a source of essential oil).This species has a wide range of popular, native names, depending on its growing area.Portuguese call it 'tomentelo' or 'tormentelo' in the west part of the habitat, T. Cuespititius in the Azores, Madeira and the west of the Iberian Peninsula and the names 'tomelo do pais', 'tomentelo do pais' or 'tomillo' in Galicia.The only species growing in the Canary Islands are T. origunoides in Riscos de Famara in Lanzarote.An old name of this plant is 'tajosC', and 'Tomillo' is the popular name 1259 (2023) 012048 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1259/1/012048 2 found on the other islands for the species Micronzeriu, similar to Thymus.In Africa, the thyme species are found in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.Thymus ulgeriensis is the most widespread in these countries and the popular names in Arabic and Berber are: 'azoukni', 'djertil', 'djoushshen', 'hamriya', 'hamzousha', 'khieta', 'mezoukesh', 'rebba', 'toushna'.The T. broussonetii species is called zatara, za'atar el-hmir, or z'itra.In Morocco the maroccanus variety is known as azukenni.Two varieties grow in the area of the Ethiopian mountains, Thymus serrulutus and Thymus schinzperi, which are also called tausi, tazi., tessni, tosign, etc.In the Arabian Peninsula and also in the mountainous region of Yemen, the species T. laevigatus is called 'za'tar' or 'sa'tar'.In eastern China, the popular names of the species are 'bai li xiang' but the most widespread species, T. quinquecostutus, is called 'di jiao' or 'bian zhong'.In northern Europe, T. Serpyllum and other species in this group are widespread.The native names in the Nordic languages are 'timian' or 'timjan', 'stortimian' or 'backtimian'.In Central Europe it is found under the names of thymian, in German as Serpolet, Kudelkraut, feldthymian, etc.In Frenchpepolino, in Italian erba pevarina, in Slavic timian or pavradel.The following names are known in English: thyme, wild thyme, and in Dutch tijm.In the many languages of the Iberian Peninsula, many names are used for the many species of Thymus, or 'tomillo' [2].In Romania, thyme is also known as lămâioară.

Materials and Methods
The experiments were conducted at the Research Center for the Quality of Horticultural Products, Hortinvest greenhouses, and USAMV Bucharest.Timijan and Marcela served as the experiment's biological representatives.(Thymus vulgaris) is a plant variety that can be cultivated in pots and has enormous, emerald-green leaves.Its maximum height is 50 cm.The Marcela variety is a semi-late type that has done a fantastic job of adapting to the Romanian environment.The leaves have a distinct scent and can maintain their qualities for the duration of conservation.The mature plant grows to a height of between 40 and 60 cm, is shaped like a spherical shrub, and is somewhat spread out.12.4 t/ha is the average amount of shoots produced.The EC was kept at 1.6 ppm for the first week following planting before being increased to 2.2 ppm.The pH of the nutrition solution was always 6.We measured plant height, the number of leaves per plant, the number of stems generated, and the percentage of seeds that grew in the case of the examined kinds.We also measured the mass of the plants.The plants were cultured for a total of 26 days.

Results
Regarding the height of the thyme plants, we found that in 2020 it was of 9.3 cm for the Marcela variety and of 9.8 cm for the Timijan variety with an average of 8.75 cm, which is higher compared to 2021.In 2021, when planted, the thyme seedling height was of 8.2 cm for the Marcela variety and of 7.5 cm for the Timijan variety with an average of 8.65 cm (Figure 1) [3].The interpretation of data obtained for thyme height is given in Table 1.There are insignificant differences between the variants under research, i.e. between the Timijan variety, the control variant, and the average of the experiments between the Marcela variety, Timijan variety, and the latter.Table 1.Thyme plant height on average.
Regarding the average weight of the thyme seedlings, we found that it showed lower values in 2021, i.e. of 2.36 g for the Marcela variety and of 2.18 g for the Timijan variety compared to 2020, where the values were of 2.48 g (Marcela) and of 2.42 g (Timijan).On average, over the two years the average weight of the seedlings was of 2.42 g for the Marcela variety and of 2.3 g for the Timijan variety (Figure 2) [4].

Figure 2. Seedling mass to planting
In 2020 and 2021, the two varieties of wild thyme seedlings each had three branches (Figure 3), and the heights were different but very similar (Figure 4).The height of the wild thyme plants (Thymus vulgaris) in 2020 was higher for the Timijan variety (37.5 cm) compared to the Marcela variety (34.55 cm).In 2021, in the case of both varieties, the height of the plants was lower compared to that of 2020, i.e. of 31.83cm for the Timijan variety and of 30.87 cm for the Marcela variety.The average for the two years of crops (2020-2021) was found to be for the plant height of 34.67 cm for the Timijan variety and of 32.71 cm for the Marcela variety (Figure 5) [5].The results of the statistical interpretation of the height of the plant thyme 30 days after planting between 2020 and 2021 and is located in Table 2.There are insignificant differences between the values recorded each year between the experimental and control variants (average of the experiment).
In 2020 (-1.47 cm for the Marcela variety and 1.48 cm for the Timijan variety) and in 2021 (-0.98cm for the Marcela variety and 0.98 cm for the Timijan variety), and for the two years' worth of research's average values , 2020 and 2021, for the Marcela variety (-0.48 cm) and for Timijan (0.48 cm), there are insignificant differences compared to the value obtained for the control variety [6].Regarding the number of branches, we found that in 2021 it was smaller in the case of both varieties, i.e. 13.33 branches for the Marcela variety and 18.25 branches for the Timijan variety.The average for the two years of crops was of 18.54 branches for the Marcela variety and 19.88 branches for the Timijan variety (Figure 6).After 30 days from planting in the NFT system, as an average for two years of testing, the fresh wild thyme plants had average weights between 179.7 g for the Timijan variety and 176.9 g for the Marcela variety.We found that in 2020, the plants had a higher average weight compared to 2021.In 2021, the average weight obtained was of 186.25 g for the Marcela variety and of 183.84 g for the Timijan variety (Figure 7).The statistical results and the interpretation of the average weight of wild thyme plants between 2020 and 2021 are shown in Table 3.There are insignificant differences between the average values of the two years of research, 2020 and 2021, for the Marcela variety (-1.4 g) and the Timijan variety (1.4 g) compared to the value obtained for the control variety, the average of the experiment.Insignificant differences were obtained in each year of research, i.e. 2020 (1.21 g, 0.65% for the Marcela variety and 1.2 g, -065% for the Timijan variety) and 2021 (-4 g, -2.33% for the Marcela variety and 4 g, 2.33% for the Timijan variety) [7].Table 3. Thyme plant mass on average in 2020-2021.The aspects regarding the growth of wild thyme plants Thymus vulgaris, Marcela and Timijan varieties, after 30 days from planting can be seen in Figure 8.

Conclusions
Regarding negligible variations were seen in the wild thyme plants' height.seen between the two years of research; in 2020 (an average value of 8.75 cm) it is higher compared to 2021 (an average value of 8.65 cm).Between the research variants, Marcela and Timijan's thyme varieties, and the control variety, which was viewed as the average of the studies, there were no notable differences.Regarding the average weight of the wild thyme seedlings, it showed lower values in 2021, of 2.36 g for the Marcela variety and of 2.18 g for the Timijan variety compared to 2020 when the values were of 2.48 g (Marcela) and of 2.42 g (Timijan) respectively.Amongst the research variants, Marcela and Timijan's wild thyme types, and the control variety, which is regarded as the average of the studies, there were no appreciable differences.The wild thyme seedlings for the two varieties had, both in 2020 and 2021, 3 branches each, and the height had different but close values.The height of the plants in 2021, in the case of both varieties, was lower compared to 2020.On average for the two years of growing, The plants stood at a height of 34.67 cm for the Timijan variety and of 32.71 cm for the Marcela variety.Regarding the number of branches, we found that in 2021 it was lower for both varieties.On average, during the two years of growing, we obtained a number of 18.54 branches for the Marcela variety and of 19.88 branches for the Timijan variety.

Figure 3 .
Figure 3. Shows the thyme seedlings of Thymus vulgaris before sowing.

Figure 5 .
Figure 5.After 30 days from planting, the height of the thyme plants.

6 Figure 7 .
Figure 7.After 30 days from planting, the average plant mass was harvested.

Table 2 .
Height of thyme plants in 2020 and 2021 after 30 days from planting.