Investigating the combined effect of nitrogen chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, sugarcane residue compost and biofarm biological fertilizer on the growth, yield and essential oil of fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare L.)

Ataeinejad, Maedeh; Moradi Telavat, Mohammad Reza; Siadat, Seyed Ataollah; Moshtattai, Ali; Ghatei, Ali

doi:10.22092/ijmapr.2025.367690.3495

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ M.Sc. graduate in Crop Physiology, Department of Production Engineering and Plant Genetics, Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran

² Department of Production Engineering and Plant Genetics, Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran

10.22092/ijmapr.2025.367690.3495

Abstract

Background and objectives: Fennel is an herbaceous, aromatic, and perennial plant from the Umbelliferae family with the scientific name Foeniculum vulgare L. The height of the plant is about one to two meters. Its stems are erect, cylindrical, branched, and green. This plant is one of the world's most well-known medicinal plants and is considered an important agricultural export product of Iran. The medicinal properties of fennel include improving the digestive system, eliminating hormonal disorders, especially in women, and increasing breastfeeding in mothers. Given the increasing demand for this medicinal plant, improving the quantity and quality of its yield through optimizing agricultural methods, including proper nutrition, is of particular importance. The use of nitrogen fertilizer in combination with organic and biological fertilizers, such as sugarcane compost and biofarm, can improve the growth and yield of fennel. Therefore, the present study was designed and implemented to determine the best type of fertilization and, in fact, the appropriate nutrition for fennel plants in the climate conditions of Khuzestan, in the city of Molasani, 36 km north of Ahvaz, between the Karun River and the Ahvaz-Shushtar road.
Methodology: This research was conducted in autumn, winter, and spring of 2023-2024 at a farm of Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, in the form of split plots in randomized complete blocks with three replications. In the main plots, levels of combining nitrogen fertilizer and sugarcane residue compost include A1: control (no use of nitrogen fertilizer and no use of sugarcane compost), A2: 150 kg/ha pure nitrogen, A3:112.5 kg/ha pure nitrogen + 8 tons/ha of sugarcane compost A4: 75 kg/ha pure nitrogen + 16 tons/ha of sugarcane compost, A5: 37.5 kg/ha pure nitrogen + 24 tons per hectare of sugarcane compost and A6: 32 tons per hectare of pure sugarcane compost were investigated. In the subplots, the seed inoculation treatment with Biofarm biofertilizer, including B0: control (no seed inoculation with Biofarm) and B1: treatment (seed inoculation with Biofarm), was investigated. The measured plant traits included seed yield per field unit, seed yield components, morphological traits, and essential oil percentage and yield per field unit.
Results: The results of the statistical analysis of the data showed that the highest height of the plant in treatment A3 (119.8 cm) and treatment B1 (108.3 cm), the highest number of branches in the plant at the level of treatment A2 by (38.85) numbers, the most The number of umbels per plant at the level of treatment A2 (17/7) and in treatment B1 at the rate of (15/5), the highest number of seeds per umbel corresponding to treatment A3B0 (166/80) of seeds per umbel and without the use of biofertilizer was obtained. On the other hand, the maximum weight of 1,000 seeds in A5B0, A2B1, and A3B0 treatment levels were 3.5, 3.4, and 3.4 grams, respectively, which were not statistically significantly different from each other. In general, the highest seed yield in A4B0 treatment is (998) kg per hectare, the highest percentage of essential oil in A2 treatment is (2.26) percent, and the highest fennel essential oil yield is related to A2B1 treatment level, (22.1) kg. It was per hectare.
Conclusion: According to the results of this research, the application of 75 kg/ha of pure nitrogen and 16 tons/ha of sugarcane compost to increase the yield of fennel seeds and the use of biological fertilizers along with chemical fertilizers (150 kg/ha) increased the yield of fennel seed essential oil. As a result, if the results are repeated and confirmed in subsequent studies, it can be recommended to the manufacturers of this product.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Improvement and breeding

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Investigating the combined effect of nitrogen chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, sugarcane residue compost and biofarm biological fertilizer on the growth, yield and essential oil of fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare L.)

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Volume 41, Issue 4 - Serial Number 126December 2025Pages 580-597

Volume 41, Issue 4 - Serial Number 126
December 2025
Pages 580-597