Effect of Biofertilizers on Physiological, and Morphological Characteristics and on Essential Oil Content in Dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica)

Mafakheri, Soudabeh; Omidbeygi, Reza; Sefidkon, Fatehmeh; Rejali, Farhad

Effect of Biofertilizers on Physiological, and Morphological Characteristics and on Essential Oil Content in Dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica)

Authors

Soudabeh Mafakheri

Reza Omidbeygi

Fatehmeh Sefidkon

Farhad Rejali

Abstract

To study the effects of biofertilizers on physiological and morphological characteristics, as well on essential oil content in Dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica), an experiment was conducted at Tarbiat Modares University in 2009. The studied factors were: Vermicompost (0, 15, 30% V/pot), Azotobacter (inoculated and non-inoculated), and phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated and non-inoculated). The experiment design was a factorial based on randomized complete block design of twelve treatments and four replications. Results revealed that Vermicompost fertilizer significantly affected seed emergence speed (11.94 days), flowering (88.81 days), plant height (50.05 cm), fresh and dry yield (44.56 and 12.049 gr), photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content, essential oil content (0.74%) as well as essential oil yield (0.34 mlit/pot). Maximum seed weight per plant (4.47 gr) was obtained for BV15. Biophsphate also showed significant effects on seed emergence and chlorophyll content. Interactions of the two factors of Biophosphate inoculation and Vermicompost fertilizer were also significantly affected the plant's dry weight, seed weight per plant, photosynthesis rate as well as the chlorophyll content.

Keywords

Azotobacter

Biophosphate

Dragonhead

Essential oil

vermicompost