Effects of organic fertilizers application on yield and yield components of Eryngium caeruleum M. Bieb. Affected by mycorrhizal symbiosis

Eryngium caeruleum M. Bieb. is one of the most important species of Eryngium family in northern Iran, used as a field vegetable. To evaluate the effects of organic fertilizers and mycorrhizal symbiosis on the yield components and the essential oil percentage of Eryngium caeruleum, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with eight treatments and four replications in Sari, in 2014. The experimental treatments included mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae) at two levels of (0 and 200 spores in a pot), vermicompost at two levels of (0 and 200 g in a pot) and compost tea (vermiwash) at two levels of (0 and 1.5 liters in the specified pots). The traits measured were plant height, number of seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, plant dry weight, and essential oil content. The results showed that the use of organic fertilizer and mycorrhizal symbiosis significantly improved the quantity and quality of Eryngium caeruleum traits. The treatments of organic fertilizer and biological fertilizers had a significant effect on most of the measured traits and increased all of the traits as compared to those of control group. Accordingly, the highest plant height, essential oil percentage, essential oil yield, and flower number were obtained from the simultaneous use of both mycorrhizal, compost tea, and vermicomposting treatment. The dual interaction effects showed that the highest plant dry weight was 23.1g from the application of vermicompost in the absence of compost tea treatment. Our results clearly showed that the simultaneous use of vermicomposting, compost tea, and mycorrhiza through the availability of nutrients increased the yield and improved the quantity and quality of Eryngium caeruleum components.