Effects of Pruning Intensity and Nitrogenous Fertilizer on Some Physiological and Morphological Characteristics of Rosmarinus officinalis

Correct pruning is one of the most important factors in growing plants particularly trees and shrubs, in the landscape. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of pruning intensity and nitrogenous fertilizer on physiological and morphological characteristics and wilting percentage in rosemary plant. A factorial experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with five levels of pruning (no pruning, half of current –year branch prune, complete pruning of current-year branch, half one-year-old branch prune and complete pruning one-year old branch) and two levels of nitrogenous fertilizer (0 and 200 kg.ha-1) with three replications. For this purpose used 18-month-old rosemary cuttings grown in the greenhouse. Stem growth was measured during six months. Number of lateral branches, root and shoot fresh and dry weights, root volume and length, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water content (RWC), ion leakage (EL) and proline were evaluated. The growth of rosemary plants was reduced with increased pruning intensity and fresh and dry weight of shoot and number of lateral shoots  were increased with useing nitrogenous fertilizer.With increased pruning intensity, RWC, ion leakage percentage and proline content were increased and chlorophyll fluorescence decreased. RWC and proline were increased with the application of nitrogenous fertilizer. The highest wilting percentage (77.77%) of plants was observed in complete pruning of one-year old branch with nitrogen fertilizer.