Document Type : Research Paper - Medicinal Aromatic Plants
Authors
1 Professor, Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Department of Crop Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
2 MSc of Crop ecology, Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Department of Agricultural Research, Khosroshahr, Iran
4 Ph.D. Student of the Physiology of Production and Post-harvest of Horticultural Plants, Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Studies have shown that the use of some compounds whose importance is often neglected by researchers and farmers can have a significant effect on the growth and yield of plants and increase the amount of essential oil production in medicinal plants. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of Selenium and Silicon foliar application and zeolite soil application on the yield and components of seed yield and the percentage and yield essential oil of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller.).
Materials and methods
This experiment was carried out in the form of a split split plot (twice chopped) based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Khosrowshahr Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center in the 2019 crop year. The first factor included foliar spraying of calcium (zero and 4 gr/L) and the second factor included foliar spraying of selenium (zero and 4 gr/L) in the main and secondary plots, respectively, and the third factor was the application of zeolite (zero, 5 and 10 tons/ha) were placed in sub-sub-plots. In the full ripening stage, plants were harvested from one square meter of each plot and the dry matter of the whole plant, number of seeds per umbels, number of seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, percentage and essential oil yield were measured.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the seed yield increased with the application of these treatments, which resulted in an increase in the yield of fennel essential oil per unit area. Based on the results of the average data comparison, the use of all three compounds of zeolite, selenium and silicon caused a significant increase in the yield of fennel essential oil and increased this attribute by 24, 23.1, and 22.5 percent, respectively. Silicon and selenium increased the yield of essential oil by increasing the seed yield. In addition, zeolite had a positive effect on seed yield through the number of seeds, while silicon and selenium increased both characteristics of yield components, including 1000-seed weight and number of seeds.
Conclusion
Finally, the yield of fennel essential oil was affected by the use of zeolite, selenium and silicon. In most cases, all three compounds were effective on the evaluated traits, and therefore, it can be concluded that these three compounds were effective in increasing the yield and yield components of fennel with different mechanisms. Therefore, it can be concluded that these three compounds work through different mechanisms to enhance the yield and quality of fennel essential oil, positioning them as effective tools in sustainable agriculture and the optimization of medicinal plant production.
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