The Study of physiological characteristics of Henna Lawsonia inermis) ecotypes at nitrogen fertilizer rates and deficit irrigation

The physiological response of Henna ecotypes to different rates of N fertilizer and low-irrigation was studied in a split-split-plot experiment on the basis of a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications in research farm of Islamic Azad University of Jiroft in 2013-2014. The main plot was devoted to low-irrigation stress at three levels (100, 75 and 50% water requirement), the sub-plot was devoted to N fertilization at three levels (50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1) and the sub-sub-plot was devoted to ecotype at three levels (Bami, Boushehri and Roudbari). It was found that low-irrigation stress significantly affected all traits (relative water content, dye rate and chlorophyll index at the 1% level and chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a/b at the 5% level) except electrolyte leakage rate and chlorophyll b. The influence of N rate was significant on all traits (at the 1% level, chlorophyll index at the 5% level) except electrolyte leakage rate, chlorophyll b and dye rate. The studied ecotypes showed significant differences only in dye rate (at the 1% level) and electrolyte leakage (at the 5% level). The highest Lawson content of 20.61 was obtained from the ecotype Bami treated with 150 kg N ha-1 and 75% water requirement. The lowest one of 12.55 was obtained from the ecotype Boushehri treated with 150 kg N ha-1 and 50% water requirement. Therefore, it can be said that the application of 100 kg N ha-1 treated with water stress at 75% water requirement was the best treatment for obtaining more fresh plants with higher essential oil (Lawson).