Evaluation of yield, physiological characteristics and forage quality of Dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica) affected by chemical, bio-organic fertilizers and irrigation frequencies

In order to investigate the effects of irrigation frequency and fertilizer treatments on physiological characteristics, yield and forage quality of Dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica) a split plot experiment based on RCBD with three replications was studied in Bukan at 2018. The treatments included irrigation frequencies at three levels (twice irrigation, once irrigation, and non-irrigation) was as main plots and chemical fertilizer (Urea and triple super phosphate fertilizers) and bio-organic fertilizers (nitroxin, Phosphat barvar-2 and biosulfur) was as sub plots. The results showed that the maximum of chlorophyll-a (4.96 mg/g fresh weight), chlorophyll-b (1.45 mg/g fresh weight), total chlorophyll (6.40 mg/g fresh weight), grain yield (608.33 kg ha-1), biological yield (1922.29 kg ha-1), digestible dry matter (55.46%) and crude fiber (43.66%) were obtained under twice irrigated condition and plants under non-irrigation condition had the highest crude protein (9.95%), water soluble carbohydrates (21.66%), and ash (58.6%). Chemical fertilizer application with increasing the photosynthetic pigments, proline and 1000-grain weight led to increases 31 and 23.82 percent of grain yield and biological yield, compared to biofertilizer-organic treatment. The highest amount of crude protein (9.66%), water-soluble carbohydrates (20%) and ash (6.25%) were obtained in the chemical fertilizer treatment. Therefore, in order to reach the maximum quantitative and qualitative yield in the Dragon's head, application of twice supplementary irrigation and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are recommended.