Effects of different fertilizers and their combination on some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.)

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), belonging to the Asteraceae family, is an annual plant and prefers light and fertile soils. Silymarin is the most important compound extracted from the seeds of this plant and it is used in the treatment of liver diseases, hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer prevention. In usual agricultural systems, the purpose of using fertilizers and their combination is to obtain the highest seed yield and quality of the active substances. In order to investigation of the effect of different fertilizers and their combination on some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of milk thistle, an experiment was arranged in split plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the Research Farm of Agricultural Institute, University of Zabol, during 2013-2014. In this study, the main factors were Hungary genotype (A1) and Mashhadi population (A2) and the sub factors were application of different fertilizers such as control treatment, manure, chemical fertilizer (urea ammonium phosphate potassium), mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mossaea), combination of nitroxin, bio-sulfur and bio-superphosphate, combination of chemical fertilizer and manure, combination of mycorrhizal fungi and manure, and nano-iron chelate. The results showed that there was not any significant difference between Hungary genotype and Mashhadi population. Totally, the mycorrhizal fungi (G. mossaea) was the best treatment than other fertilizer treatments in the milk thistle plant and it caused enhancing the growth and better activity of photosynthetic pigments as well as improved seed yield and increased silymarin substance in the milk thistle plant.