Effect of Fulvic Acid and Amino Acid Application on Physiological Characteristics, Growth and Yield of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) as a Medicinal Plant

Medicinal plants are one of the main natural resources of Iran from ancient times. Coriander medicinal plant is one of the most valuable resources in the vast range of Iranian natural resources which, if properly managed, can play an important role in non-oil production and export. Management and environmental factors such as nutritional management has a significant impact on the quantity and quality of plants. Application of organic fertilizers in conventional farming systems is not common and most of the need for food plants supply through chemical fertilizers for short period. The use of bio-fertilizers and organic matter are taken into consideration to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and increase the quality of most crops. The use of organic and biological fertilizers in the production of medicinal plants in a sustainable agricultural system is important in order to achieve product quality environmental protection and community health. Stability and soil fertility through the use of organic fertilizers are important due to having most of the elements required by plants and beneficial effects on physical, chemical, biological and soil fertility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of amino acid and fulvic acid on vegetative, reproduction characteristics and yield of coriander.

In this study, the effects of applications of fulvic acid and amino acid on yield and growth characteristics of coriander were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were two levels of amino acid (0 and 3 per thousand) and three levels of fulvic acid (0, 5 and 10 kg.ha-1). The experiment was designed as factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research station of Faculty of Agriculture University of Birjand during growing season of 2017. The measured indices including vegetative characteristics (height plant, branches number, plant weight, leaf weight, leaf number) and reproductive characteristics (grain yield, 1000- seed weight, seed number, yield biological and harvest index). Finally, the experimental data were statistically analyzed using SAS ver. 9.2 and means were separated Duncan’s multiple test at 5% probability level of probability.

The results showed that fulvic acid had a significant effect on vegetative characteristics (height plant, fresh and dry weight of plant, branches number, leaf number and leaf dry weight), so that the highest fresh  and dry weight (49.9 and 7.3 g, respectively) were obtained  with application of 10 kg.ha-1 of fulvic acid. Also, the results showed a significant effect of fulvic acid on reproductive characteristics (seed yield, biological yield, harvest index and seed number), so that the highest seed yield (942.5 kg.ha-1) was obtained at 10 kg.ha-1 fulvic acid, and the lowest of seed yield was observed (710.0 kg.ha-1) in the control treatment. Amino acid also affected vegetative characteristics (leaf number and leaf weight), and reproductive characteristics (grain yield, seed number and 1000- seed weight), so that the highest number of leaf (27.0 per plant) and grain yield (873.3 kg.ha-1) were obtained with the application of 3 per thousand amino acids. Interaction effects showed that different levels of fulvic acid and amino acids had a significant effect on reproductive performance (grain yield, biological yield, seed number and 1000-seed weight). The highest grain yield and seed number (985.0 kg.ha-1 and 204.6. per plant, respectively) were obtained at 5 kg.ha-1 fulvic acid and 3 per thousand amino acid.

The results of this study showed that fulvic acid and amino acid had significant effect on yield and growth characteristics of coriander. Thus, results showed that fulvic acid (5 kg.ha-1) and amino acids (3 per thousand) had strong impact on yield and growth characteristics of coriander under field conditions.