Effect of saline water and chemical fertilizers on nutrient uptake and yield of ajowan (Carum copticum (L.) C. B. Clarke)

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

madine bizhani ¹ , parviz yadollahi dehchechme ² , M. Heidari ³ , M. Latifi ⁴ , M.R. Asgharipor ⁵ , M. Ramroodi ⁶

1 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل
2 - Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
3 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل
4 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل
5 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل
6 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل

Received: 2014-10-20 Accepted : 2015-01-19 Published : 2015-10-01

Keywords: Electrical conductivity, Chemical fertilizer, Organic fertilizer, Ajowan,

Abstract :

In order to evaluate nutrient uptake and yield of ajowan at saline conditions and application of inorganic and organic fertilizer an experiment was conducted as factorial randomized design with tree replications at Zabol University research greenhouse at 2011. Treatments included irrigation salinity at three levels: 1 (as control), 8 and 13 dS.m-1 and four fertilization systems including application of NPK at 80:40:30 kg ha-1, 40 ton of manure ha-1, NPK at 40:20:15 kg ha-1 plus 20 ton of manure ha-1 and no soil fertility. Results showed that the increase of dissolved salts decreases the uptake and concentrations of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in the seed, however, had no significant effect on calcium concentration in plants. The reduced nutrient uptake in plants decreased 1000 seed weight, seed and essential oil yield and protein content. Although in severe stress conditions essential oil content increased by 12 percent compared to the control. As well as, results reveled that different fertilization systems significantly increased all measured traits except calcium concentration. Combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer was more effective from sole application, and combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer increased seed yield by 11 percent compared with the control. Therefore it could be combined organic and inorganic fertilizer for improvement of ajowan cultivation.