Effect of Humic Acid and Phosphorus on the Quantity and Quality of Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) Yield

Subject Areas : Journal of Crop Ecophysiology

A.A  Farjami, ¹ (Former MSc. Student of Agronomy, Nishaboor Branch, Islamic Azad University, Nishaboor, Iran)
S.M.  Nabavi Kalat ² (Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran)

Received: 2013-07-03 Accepted : 2014-02-19 Published : 2014-02-20

Keywords: Essential Oil, Marigold, Dry flower yield, Active ingredient,

Abstract :

To evaluate the effect of humic acid and phosphorus on the quantity and quality of marigold yield an experiment was conducted at Research Field of Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran, in cropping season 2010-2011. The experiment was in split plot based on randomized complete block design, with four replications. The main plots were humic acid in four levels (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg/ha) and sub plots were phosphorus (P2O5) in three levels (40, 60 and 80 kg/ha). The result showed that the highest dry flower yield (158.4 g/m2), flower number (1356 per m2), essential oil (0.55%), active ingredient of flower (0.31%), obtained in humic acid (10 kg/ha) and phosphorus (60kg/ha). The results also revalued that highest grain yield (133.8 g/m2) and seed oil (0.41%) obtained when (5 kg/ha) humic acid and 80kg/ha phosphorus were used. Based on this study, humic acid (10 kg/ha) and phosphorus (60kg/ha) may result in higher yield.