The Effects of Different Levels of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Plant Density on the Agro Morphological Characters, Yield, Essential Oil and Chamazolene Content of Improved Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Cultivar Germania

To evaluate the effects of different plant densities and different levels of nitrogen fertilization on morphological characters, dry flower yield, essential oil and chamazolene content of an improved chamomile cultivar (Germania (diploid)), the experiment was conducted on the base of two factor factorial completely randomized block design with three replications at the research field and experimental laboratory of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM), Iran, during, 2007-2008. The main plot was plant density at four levels, including D1=20 pl/m2, D2=25 pl/m2, D3=40 pl/m2 and D4=50 pl/m2 and the sub plot was nitrogen in the form of urea (46% nitrogen) at three levels, including N0=control (absence of fertilization), N1=10 g/m2 and N2= 20 g/m2. During the flowering period, growth indices such as plant height, anthodia diameter, dry flower yield, essential oil and chamazolene content were measured. The results showed that the increasing of plant density up to 50 pl/m2 increased flower and essential oil yield and chamazolene content, whereas the highest content of essential oil was obtained at 40 pl/m2. Urea (10 g/m2) produced maximum percent and yield of essential oil (0.77 w/w), but dry flower yield increased with highest level of urea (20 g/m2). Interaction effects of urea and plant density was significant just on the percent and yield of essential oil (p<0.05). Under the climatic conditions of Mashhah, the maximum yield of dry flower and essential oil for this cultivar were observed at 40 pl/m2 with 10 g/m2 urea fertilization.