Savory morphophysological traits affected by methanol and ethanol foliar application

Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) has various applications in traditional medicine. Alcohol spraying on plants foliage is considered as one of the new methods for improvement of their growth and yield. In current study, the effect of methanol and ethanol spraying on morphological and physiological traits of savory has been studied in pot conditions based on completely randomized design with 10 treatments including spray concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 40% (v/v) methanol and ethanol, distilled water and no spraying. Ethanol and methanol spraying specially in 40% concentration could be improving in most of studied traits. Ethanol 40% had a positive role in increasing of leaf dry and fresh weight, crown diameter, plant and stem fresh weight and methanol 40% was effective in plant and shoot dry weight, plant height and leaf number improvement. Increasing in alcohol concentrations caused chlorophyll content increment, but not leaf length. Also, spraying with distilled water and methanol caused more crown distance to first node; but less canopy width. Therefore, implementation of methanol and ethanol solutions is recommending increasing growth and growth indices of savory.