Effect of Foliar Application of Moringa Leaf Extracts (MLE) and Ascorbic Acid (AsA) on the Antioxidant Content of Artemisia annua L.

Abstract

The growing demand for bioactive compounds underscores the need to evolve technologies that allow for enhanced productivity. This study was set up to investigate the use of elicitors in enhancing the antioxidant profile of Artemisia annua. Six-week-old Artemisia annua seedlings were transplanted into 8*10-inch grow bags, containing a 1:1:1 ratio of sandy loam topsoil, groundnut husk, and goat droppings. The design of the experiment was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The work was carried out between April and June, 2025 with average night and daytime temperature range of 23 to 26 ⁰C and 37 to 42 ⁰C, respectively. Two elicitors, Moringa leaf extract (E1) and ascorbic acid (E2), and water (E0) as the control were foliar applied at six (6) WAT and whole plant dried samples of A. annua were analyzed to ascertain the effect of the treatments on total phenolic acid content (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Data generated were analyzed using Anova and significant means separated with Duncan multiple range test. The yield of TPC, TFC, as well as antioxidant activity, was significantly (P=0.05) depressed by the application of the elicitors. Moringa leaf extracts and ascorbic acid depressed flavonoid content by 58.32 and 65.48 %, and FRAP by 48.65 and 48.19 %, respectively, over the control. We therefore conclude that moringa leaf extracts and ascorbic acid may not qualify as candidates for use as elicitors in the enhancement of TPC, TFC, and FRAP in A. annua production.