Effect of miniral, organic and bio-fertilizers combinations on growth, yield components and volatile oil of Matricaria chamomilla plant

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were carried out at a Private Farm named Royale herbs in El-bawiti Village, El Wahat El-Bharia District, Giza Governorate, Egypt during the two consecutive seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 to study the effect of different fertilizer types (mineral, organic and bio fertilizers) treatments on vegetative growth, yield components and volatile oil as well as total carbohydrates percentage of chamomile plant.

The performance of organic fertilization (compost and humic acid) and biofertilization (nitobein or/and phosphorein) were compared with standard, commercial rates of N, P, K and Mg fertilizers with respect to the growth, yield and essential oil of Matricaria chamomilla.

In the two successive seasons, plants treated with chemical fertilization showed a significant increase in vegetative growth (plant height, number of branches per plant, fresh and dry weights per plant) compared to the other types of fertilizers under study.

The highest rate of chemical fertilizers (N, P₂O₅, K₂O and MgO at 125, 100, 62.5 and 30 kg/faddan, respectively) recorded the highest value in each yield component (flower heads number per plant as well as flower heads air-dry weight per plant and per faddan) compared to the other ones under study, in most cases.

In the same time, organic fertilization (30 m³ compost + 1 kg humic acid/ faddan) recorded an increase in these yield components compared to the other organic fertilizer rates in both seasons.

Also, fertilization at (1 kg of nitrobein + 30 m³ compost/faddan) recorded a significant increase in volatile oil percentage of chamomile plant compared to either of sole chemical or biological fertilizer rates under study.