Changes in growth, quantitative and some secondary metabolites of German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) cultivar Presov in response to Serendipita indica and Zeolite

The plant chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is of very important medicinal properties due to its content of active compounds such as chamazulene, alpha-bisabolol as well as alpha-bisabolol A. Considering the relevance of chamomile in various pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and hygienic industries, organic nutrition and improved absorption of mineral elements would play an important role in the raise of plant yield and essence quality. Therefore, the use of biofertilizers such as mycorrhizal-like fungi is regarded as an important issue in reduction of chemical fertilizer application and maintain crop health and the environment in nowadays agriculture (Abbaszadeh et al., 2006; Jamshidi et al., 2011). The use of the natural mineral, zeolite is one of new strategies in agricultural development for Increasing water and nutrient use efficacy, where it improves plant growth through its capacity for water preservation and supply of nutritional materials (Ahmed et al., 2010)

To study the effect of the application of the fungus Serendipita indica and the natural zeolite (Clinoptilolite) on the quantitative and qualitative yield of the German chamomile cv. Presov, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replicates was performed in the experimental field of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan during 2006-2007. The experimental factors included the fungus with two levels (either inoculation/ no inoculation) and zeolite with four levels of the application rates (tonnes per hectare): Z1 (0), Z2 (5), Z3 (10) and Z4 (15). After crop harvest performed omitting the marginal effect in a border-band of 50 cm width per plot surroundings, the traits of the number of secondary branches, the number of flowers per plant, biological yield, essence percentage, essence yield, the rate of phenolics, and flavonoids as well as the rate of antioxidant activity were determined.

The inoculation with the fungus and the lower levels of zeolite led to increased number of secondary branches and of flowers per plant. The highest rate of biological yield was obtained with 10 tonnes of zeolite per hectare, which was not statistically a significant difference from other levels of zeolite application but still meaningfully different from that in control. With the effect of fungus, the highest essence percentage was obtained with the zeolite application level of 10 tonnes per hectare, while no-inoculation of the fungus generally led to a lower essence percentage. Additionally, higher percentage of essence could be produced with lower rates of zeolite thanks to fungal inoculation. The highest rate of essence yield was yielded as the result of the inoculation of S. indica. Furthermore, the application of zeolite led to increased essence yield, so that the lowest rate of essence yield resulted in the treatment of no zeolite application. The rate of flavonoids, as well as phenolics were higher when the fungus was inoculated than in the absence of its inoculation.

Considering the results of this research, the beneficial impacts of zeolite, as well as the mycorrhiza-like fungus application are notable as an organic nutritional system in the provision of most nutrients required by the medicinal plant chamomile, and as the consequence its increase of essence percentage and yield. Moreover, the advantages of the substituent nutritional system can environmentally be considerable compared to traditional agricultural systems.