Evaluation of Root, Aerial Parts and Chlorogenic Acid Yield of Echinacea purpurea L. Under Different Levels of N Fertilizer and Plant Density

Purple coneflower(Echinacea purpurea L.) is a perennial medicine plant that belongs to Asteraceae family. It is using as immune system stimulant in medicinal industries. This study was done to evaluating root yield, aerial yield and chlorogenic acid yield under different levels of N fertilizer and plant density. The experiment was conducted at Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Center of Isfahan in a split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replication, during 2009- 2010. The N fertilizer (0, 75, 150, 225kg/ha) was as main factor and different densities (11, 17 and 33 plant per m2) were sub factors. Based on the results the interaction of N levels × different densities × year were significant for aerial dry weight, root dry weight, aerial and root dry yield per hectare and chlorogenic acid yield per hectare. The highest dry weight of aerial and root plant (67.6 and 57.7, respectively) were observed at 225kg/ha N fertilizer and 11 plant per m2 densities. The aerial and root dry yield per hectare (19127 and 6342kg/ha, respectively) and chlorogenic acid yield in aerial and root plant (293.2 and 63.4gr/ha, respectively) were obtained in 225kg/ha N fertilizer and 33 plant per m2 densities. A significant positive correlation was observed between aerial dry yield per hectare with root dry yield and chlorogenic acid yield of plant.