Neuro-behavioural modulatory and bio-disinfectant effects of standardised Peganum harmala L. extract on incubation performance and neonatal welfare in quail

1. The following study investigated the effects of a standardised Peganum harmala L. (PH) extract on post-hatch behaviour, environmental adaptation, incubation performance and eggshell disinfection in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).2. A total of 520 fertile eggs were utilised in the experiment, with 130 eggs randomly assigned to each of the four treatment groups: distilled water (P1), ethanol (P2), 1% PH extract (P3) or 5% PH extract (P4) appliedviaactive humidification on d 1, 3, 7 and 14 of incubation. Analysis by GC-MS was used to identify peganine and quinazoline alkaloids as the primary bioactive components of the PH extract.3. Behavioural assessments (Open Field and Runway tests) showed shorter behavioural latency and enhanced exploratory behaviour in chicks exposed to PH extract compared with controls.4. Microbial analysis showed that the 5% extract (P4) achieved the lowest bacterial load on day 10 compared with P1 (p < 0.05). The eggs in the P4 group had the highest fertile hatchability and chick quality scores among the treatment groups.5. Standardised PH extract represents a promising botanical disinfectant associated with favourable behavioural outcomes in newly hatched chicks, with potential applications for hatchery management.