The effect of water deficit and different levels of cattle manure, chemical fertilizers and their combination on yield and some agro-morphological characteristics of Moldavian balm medicinal plant

In order to evaluate the effect of water deficit and different fertilizer levels on yield and some agro-morphological characteristics of Moldavian balm, a split plot experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of Shahrekord University during 2013-2014 growing season. Main factor was three levels of irrigation regimes including: 100 (control), 75 and 50 percent of water requirement while 6 levels of manure application including: 1) no amended fertilizer (control), 2) 25 percent urea 75 percent cattle manure, 3) 50 percent urea 50 percent cattle manure, 4) 75 percent urea 25 percent cattle manure, 5) 100 percent urea and 6) 100 percent cattle manure, were used as subplot. The maximum plant height and number of flowering branch was observed for 100 percent urea and the maximum flowering branch dry yield was related to 50 percent urea 50 percent cattle manure. The maximum plant height and number of flowering branch was achieved from 100 percent plant water requirement. The maximum leaf, shoot dry weight and dry matter yield was related to 50 percent urea 50 percent cattle manure with 100 percent plant water requirement. In total, in order to obtain the maximum dry matter yield, application of 50 percent urea with 50 percent of cattle manure and full irrigation is recommended.