Effect of Different Levels of Nitroxin and Humic Acid on Quantitative Properties and Essential Oil of Ajowan (Carum copticum (L.) C. B. Clarke)

علوم باغبانی

Article 2, Volume 29, Issue 3, September 2015, Pages 321-341   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jhorts4.v0i0.22523

Authors

Kazem Barghamadi^* ; Shahla Najafi

Zabol University

Abstract

Introduction: Unbalanced application of fertilizer and chemical pesticides reduce soil fertility and agricultural products quality. Application of bio-fertilizers is quite important for sustainable agriculture..According to the principles of ecological agriculture, soil fertility and plant nutrition play an important role in improving the yield and quality of medicinal plants. The use of biological fertilizers is one of the main strategies in ecological agriculture for plant nutrition. Organic materials are not the only source of bio-fertilizer but bacterial and fungal particles and materials from their activities in relation to nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients are examples of biological fertilizers too. Today particular attention has been paid to the canvas of biological nitrogen fixation byfree-living bacteria such as Azospirillum and Azotobacter companion agricultural systems. Nitrogen is mainly the first nutrient which its deficiency in the arid and semi-aridoccurs.It is due to this fact thatthe amount of organic matter that is the major source of nitrogen stored in these areas is negligible. Nitroxin contains the most effective nitrogen fixation bacteria (Azotobacter and Azospirillum). Nitroxin bacteria besides nitrogen fixation of atmosphere and counterbalance of macronutrients and micro nutrientsare required for plant uptake, with the synthesis and secretion of various hormones and growth regulators such as auxin (IAA), the secretion of various amino acids, antibiotics, andhydrogen cyanide hydrogen will cause siderophore growth and development of roots and aerial parts of the plant. Due to environmental concerns, the use of organic acids to improve the quality and quantity of crops and gardens is not possible. Small amounts of organic acids have significant impacts on physical characteristics, chemical and biological soil because of the useful hormonal effects of compounds in increasing production and improving the quality of agricultural products. Humic acid, as one of the appropriate fertilizer, is used in the agricultural organic system. Humic acid causes shoot growth increase due to the absorption of calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc and copper. Bio-fertilizer application information on medicinal plants is very important. In the present study, nitroxin and humic acid effects on Carumcopticum extract were investigated.
Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of different levels of humic acid, organic fertilizer and Nitroxin bio-fertilizer on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Ajowan, a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in Zabol University. The seeds used in this study were obtained from a local variety that was planted superficially. Active ingredientof the seed was extracted by distillation with water for threehours. Essence percentage was determined by sodium sulfate. The Kejeldal method was used to determine the percentage of nitrogen. The crude method was used to determine the concentration of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium in dry ash. A factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Research Farm. Treatments include the seed inoculation with Nitroxin bio-fertilizer in fourlevels including N1= zero (control), N2 = 0.5, N3 = 1 and N4 = 1.5 L/ha and organic fertilizer humic acid as irrigation water solublefour-leaf stage on fourlevels H1 = zero (control), H2 = 1, H3 = 2 and H4 = 3 kg per hectare. SAS statistical software was used to analyze the data and mean of three traits were compared by LSD test at the 5% level.
Results and Discussion: None of the treatments affected plant height and Nitroxinhumic acid interactions were not significant. The results showed significant effects of humic acid on seed weight, number of umbels and lateral branches, essential oil percentage and yield. The highest percentage and oil yield was 4.17% and 64.75 kg per hectare of treated H4, respectively. Nitroxin effect on all traits was significantly different except oil percentage. Interaction of humic acid and Nitroxin treatments on yield and biological yield were significant. The highest yield (1758.33 kg per ha) was treated with N4H3.

Conclusion: Our results showed that 1.5 L/ha Nitroxin and 3 kg humic acid per ha were the best treatments in the production of oil yield and percentage of Ajowan organic farming.

Keywords

Bio-fertilizer; Essential oil yield; morphological characters

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