Agriculture and horticulture
J. Hashempour; S. Asadi-Sanam; M. Mirza; M. Ghanbari Jahromi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.) is one of the most wellknown medicinal plant species with high economic value worldwide. In Iran, this species' roots and shoots are used in herbal medicines. Many types of phytomedicine are commercially produced from Echinacea aerial ...
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Background and objectives: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.) is one of the most wellknown medicinal plant species with high economic value worldwide. In Iran, this species' roots and shoots are used in herbal medicines. Many types of phytomedicine are commercially produced from Echinacea aerial portions for boosting the nonspecific immune system and treating the common cold. Environmental and health costs of chemical fertilizers have led researchers to meet plant nutritional needs using chemical, organic and biological fertilizers. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of organic and biological fertilizers on morphological traits, shoot and root dry matter, and essential oil percentage and yield in the leaves and stems of coneflower plants.Methodology: This experiment was conducted on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Iran, in 2018-2019. Treatments included control, NPK (N50P25K25; N75P35K35 and N100P75K75 Kg.ha-1), manure (30, 60 and 90 ton.ha-1), vermicompost (5, 10, and 15 ton.ha-1), N50P25K25 fertilizer + 30 ton.ha-1 manure, N50P25K25 + 5 ton.ha-1 vermicompost, biological fertilizers including Glomus intraradaices + G. mosseae, Azospirillum + Pseudomonas, Thiobacillus + 5 ton.ha-1 vermicompost and Thiobacillus + 250 Kg.ha-1 of sulfur (S). Before applying fertilizer treatments, a soil analysis was done. After applying fertilizer treatments, the physical and chemical properties of the soil were also determined. The treatments were selected based on the fertilizer requirements of the plant as well as soil test results. Parameters such as plant height, leaf, stem, and flower numbers, root penetration depth, root volume, leaf, stem, root, and flower dry matter, leaf, stem, and flower essential oil, and essential oil yield of leaves, stems, and flowers were evaluated. At the full flowering stage, samples were taken from aerial segments of plants in all treatment groups. After shade-drying, the samples through a Clevenger-type apparatus were hydro-distillated to obtain the essential oil. The oil percentage, as well as yield, was calculated based on the dry weight.Results: The results showed that the highest leaf and stem dry matter was observed in the 15-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treatment. A 5-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treated with NPK fertilizers displayed the highest flower dry matter. On the other hand, the highest root dry matter was obtained in the treatment with 30 tons.ha-1 manure + NPK fertilizers. The highest flower essential oils yield was obtained in ton.ha-1 manure + NPK fertilizers. The highest leaf + stem oil yields were found at the flowering stage in 15 tons.ha-1 vermicompost. Also, NPK treatment + 30 tons.ha-1 of manure resulted in the highest yield of flower essential oil. 15-ton.ha-1 vermicompost treatment yielded the highest stem and leaf essential oil yield. Only the organic fertilizer group (CM vs. V5) and the biofertilizer group (GM and GI vs. T) showed an increase in flower essential oil yield compared to the other nutritional treatments. In the leaf+stem essential oil yield results, all comparisons between treatment groups showed a significant effect, except for the organic fertilizer group (CM vs. V5). Compared to the NPK group, the biofertilizer and organic fertilizer group yielded the highest leaf+stem essential oil yield.Conclusion: It was concluded that biological fertilizers treatment combined with organic fertilizers could be a suitable alternative to chemicals in the sustainable production of this valuable medicinal plant. These findings suggested that biofertilizers and organic fertilizers can benefit Echinacea purpurea cultivation because, when combined, they enhance the essential oil percentage and yield.
A. Rahbary; H. Fatemi; B. Esmailpour
Abstract
Recently, various methods have been used to alleviate the detrimental effects of pollutants. The application of biofertilizers with respect to their positive impacts on soil characteristics and environment can be served as a suitable alternative to many of these methods. In order to investigate the two-way ...
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Recently, various methods have been used to alleviate the detrimental effects of pollutants. The application of biofertilizers with respect to their positive impacts on soil characteristics and environment can be served as a suitable alternative to many of these methods. In order to investigate the two-way effect of bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens on plant growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) under Pb stress conditions, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted at Mohaghegh Ardabili University. Experimental treatments included Pb stress at two levels (0 and 600 ppm) and bacterial inoculation at three levels (inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens strains150 and 159 separately and without inoculation (control)). The results of this study showed that the growth characteristics such as leaf number, plant height, and shoot fresh and dry weight were significantly affected by Pb contamination and shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf number and plant height decreased by 22, 31, 19 and 9%, respectively. The content of proline and carbohydrates in dill showed a significant increase under the influence of lead. Bacterial inoculation also increased the content of proline and plant carbohydrates, which was more pronounced in inoculation with strain150. The activity of antioxidant enzymes was significantly influenced by Pb contamination and bacterial inoculation. Pb increased peroxidase but decreased catalase activity, but inoculation with Pseudomonas bacteria, especially strain 150, significantly increased the activity of both enzymes. In addition, the bacteria were able to reduce the amount of Pb in dill. In general, the results of this experiment indicated that Pseudomonas bacterial inoculation was effective in alleviating the effects of Pb stress on dill via growth promotion and improving enzymatic activity.
M. Koozehgar Kaleji; M.R. Ardakani
Abstract
Eryngium caeruleum M. Bieb. is one of the most important species of Eryngium family in northern Iran, used as a field vegetable. To evaluate the effects of organic fertilizers and mycorrhizal symbiosis on the yield components and the essential oil percentage of Eryngium caeruleum, a factorial experiment ...
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Eryngium caeruleum M. Bieb. is one of the most important species of Eryngium family in northern Iran, used as a field vegetable. To evaluate the effects of organic fertilizers and mycorrhizal symbiosis on the yield components and the essential oil percentage of Eryngium caeruleum, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with eight treatments and four replications in Sari, in 2014. The experimental treatments included mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae) at two levels of (0 and 200 spores in a pot), vermicompost at two levels of (0 and 200 g in a pot) and compost tea (vermiwash) at two levels of (0 and 1.5 liters in the specified pots). The traits measured were plant height, number of seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, plant dry weight, and essential oil content. The results showed that the use of organic fertilizer and mycorrhizal symbiosis significantly improved the quantity and quality of Eryngium caeruleum traits. The treatments of organic fertilizer and biological fertilizers had a significant effect on most of the measured traits and increased all of the traits as compared to those of control group. Accordingly, the highest plant height, essential oil percentage, essential oil yield, and flower number were obtained from the simultaneous use of both mycorrhizal, compost tea, and vermicomposting treatment. The dual interaction effects showed that the highest plant dry weight was 23.1g from the application of vermicompost in the absence of compost tea treatment. Our results clearly showed that the simultaneous use of vermicomposting, compost tea, and mycorrhiza through the availability of nutrients increased the yield and improved the quantity and quality of Eryngium caeruleum components.
Sh. Shafiee Adib; M. Amini Dehaghi; S.A.M. Modares Sanavi
Abstract
In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on the quantity and quality of John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), an experiment was conducted at Shahed University in 2010. The studied factors included phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated and non-inoculated), phosphorous fertilizer at three ...
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In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on the quantity and quality of John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), an experiment was conducted at Shahed University in 2010. The studied factors included phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated and non-inoculated), phosphorous fertilizer at three levels (0, 100, 200 kg/h) and vermicompost (0, 5, 10 ton/h). The study was conducted in a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications. In addition, one plot was considered as control group in each replication to be compared with other plots in which only chemical fertilizers (NPK: 250, 200 and 100 kg/h) were used. Results showed that the highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, and hypericin yield were obtained by applying vermicompost at 5 ton/ha, and there was no significant difference between the application rates of 5 and 10 ton/ha. The interaction effects of phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated) and phosphorous fertilizer were significant, so that the highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, hypericin yield and chlorophyll a were obtained by applying 100 kg/ha P2O5 plus phosphatic biofertilizer, having no significant difference with the application rate of 200 kg/ha P2O5. Significant differences were found between biofertilizer treatments and control group. According to the obtained results, it seems that biofertilizers can be considered as a replacement for chemical fertilizers.
E. Karegar Hajiabadi; B. Abbaszadeh; F. Sefidkon; K. Khavazi
Abstract
This research was aimed to investigate the effects of biological fertilizers on seedling survival rate of Thymus pubescens Bioss. The study was conducted in the research field of Alborz Research Station in 2011 using a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. ...
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This research was aimed to investigate the effects of biological fertilizers on seedling survival rate of Thymus pubescens Bioss. The study was conducted in the research field of Alborz Research Station in 2011 using a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Treatments included seed inoculation (Glomus intraradices, G. mosseae and without inoculation) and seedling inoculation (Glomus intraradices, G. mosseae and without inoculation). Analysis of variance indicated that seed inoculation significantly affected canopy circle, number of tillers, number of lateral branches, plant height, seedling survival rate, seed colonization rate and shoot yield at p≤0.01 and flowering percentage at p≤0.05. According to the mean comparisons, the highest canopy circle, number of tillers, number of lateral branches, plant height, flowering percentage, seedling survival rate, root colonization rate and shoot yield were obtained for seed inoculation with G. intraradices. In addition, the highest number of tillers, number of lateral branches, plant height, root length, number of lateral roots, root colonization rate, essential oil percentage and shoot yield were obtained for seedling inoculation with G. intraradices. Consequently, in terms of essential oil percentage and shoot yield, better results were recorded for seed inoculation as compared to seedling inoculation.
M.T. Darzi; M.R. Hadjseyed Hadi; F. Rejali
Abstract
Application of Biofertilizers in a sustainable agriculture system improves sustainability of yield especially in medicinal plants production. Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) is a medicinal plant containing essential oils especially in its seeds. In this reserach, the effects of vermicompost and phosphate ...
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Application of Biofertilizers in a sustainable agriculture system improves sustainability of yield especially in medicinal plants production. Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) is a medicinal plant containing essential oils especially in its seeds. In this reserach, the effects of vermicompost and phosphate biofertilizer on yield and yield components in anise including plant height, number of umbels per plant, 1000 grain-weight, biological yield and seed yield were studied. The experiment was carried out at Homand research station - Iran in 2009. The factors were vermicompost (0, 5, 10 ton/ha) and phosphate biofertilizer (non-inoculated, inoculated seed and inoculated seed + spraying on soil in stem elongation). The experiment design was factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with nine treatments and three replications. Mean comparison was carried out using Duncan multiple range test (P<0.05). Results showed that the highest plant height, umbel no./plant, biological yield, and seed yield were obtained from consumption of 10 ton/ha vermicompost but 1000 grain- weight were not affected by vermicompost significantly. Phosphate biofertilizer also showed significant effects on umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield (except plant height and 1000 grain-weight). The maximum umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield were obtained from two times consumption of phosphate biofertilizer. There were positive and synergistic interactions between factors like interactions between factors on biological yield. According to the results of this study, application of 10 ton/ha vermicompost and two times consumption of phosphate biofertilizer were determined as the most suitable treatments.
M.T. Darzi; A. Ghalavand; F. Rejali; F. Sefidkon
Volume 22, Issue 4 , February 2007, , Pages 276-292
Abstract
In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on yield and yield components in fennel, an experiment was conducted at Hamand Research Station in Damavand in 2005. The factors were mycorrhizal inoculation (inoculated and non-inoculated), biophosphate fertilizer (0, 30 , 60 kg/ha) and vermicompost (0 ...
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In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on yield and yield components in fennel, an experiment was conducted at Hamand Research Station in Damavand in 2005. The factors were mycorrhizal inoculation (inoculated and non-inoculated), biophosphate fertilizer (0, 30 , 60 kg/ha) and vermicompost (0 , 5 , 10 ton/ha). The experiment design was factorial experiment in the base of randomized complete blocks design with eighteen treatments and three replications. Also, these treatments with a fertilizer control treatment (NPK: 90, 60 and 90 kg/ha) was evaluated using a randomized complete blocks design with nineteen treatments and three replications. The measured traits were plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield, haevest index and seed yield. Mean comparison was conducted using duncan multiple range test (at 5% level). Results showed that the highest plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield were obtained through mycorrhization but reduced harvest index. Biophosphate fertilizer also showed significant effects on plant height and biological yield. The maximum plant height and biological yield were obtained with consumption of 60 kg/ha from biophosphate fertilizer. The highest plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield were obtained from vermicompost (10 ton/ha). Intractions of two factors of mycorrhizal inoculation and biophosphate fertilizer on 1000 seed weight and mycorrhizal inoculation and vermicompost on harvest index were significant. Comparison of control versus biofertilizer treatments was significant and umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield in two treatments of fifteenth (mycorrhizal inoculation-30 kg/ha biophosphate fertilizer-10 ton/ha vermicompost) and eighteenth (mycorrhizal inoculation-60 kg/ha biophosphate fertilizer-10 ton/ha vermicompost) from biofertilizer treatments were higher than that of control. There was a positive and significant correlation between seed yield with plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight and biological yield.
