Effects of Biofertilizers Application on Yield and Yield Components in Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on yield and yield components in fennel, an experiment was conducted at Hamand Research Station in Damavand in 2005. The factors were mycorrhizal inoculation (inoculated and non-inoculated), biophosphate fertilizer (0, 30, 60 kg/ha) and vermicompost (0, 5, 10 ton/ha). The experiment design was factorial experiment in the base of randomized complete blocks design with eighteen treatments and three replications. Also, these treatments with a fertilizer control treatment (NPK: 90, 60 and 90 kg/ha) was evaluated using a randomized complete blocks design with nineteen treatments and three replications. The measured traits were plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield, haevest index and seed yield. Mean comparison was conducted using duncan multiple range test (at 5% level). Results showed that the highest plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield were obtained through mycorrhization but reduced harvest index. Biophosphate fertilizer also showed significant effects on plant height and biological yield. The maximum plant height and biological yield were obtained with consumption of 60 kg/ha from biophosphate fertilizer. The highest plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield were obtained from vermicompost (10 ton/ha). Intractions of two factors of mycorrhizal inoculation and biophosphate fertilizer on 1000 seed weight and mycorrhizal inoculation and vermicompost on harvest index were significant. Comparison of control versus biofertilizer treatments was significant and umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield in two treatments of fifteenth (mycorrhizal inoculation-30 kg/ha biophosphate fertilizer-10 ton/ha vermicompost) and eighteenth (mycorrhizal inoculation-60 kg/ha biophosphate fertilizer-10 ton/ha vermicompost) from biofertilizer treatments were higher than that of control. There was a positive and significant correlation between seed yield with plant height, umbel no./plant, 1000 seed weight and biological yield.