Autecological study of Ferula foetida species in some of the natural habitats of Khorasan- Razavi province

In this study, the autecology of Ferula foetida (Bunge) Regel, from the Umbelliferae family, was studied in habitats of Sabzevar, Kashmar and Bajestan cities located in Khorasan Razavi province. In order to study, the autecology of this perennial plant species, its habitats in the province was identified with the help of field visits and existing reports. Then, climatic and soil factors, density and frequency factors and phenology of this species were studied. The results showed that the species often grows on the northern slopes of habitats with an altitude of 1300 to 2400 meters and an average annual precipitation of 140 to 332 millimeters and an average annual temperature of 8 to 18 degrees Celsius. The soil texture was often light and sandy and in some habitats it was loamy. Soil acidity is 7.8 to 7.9 and its electrical conductivity is 0.51 to 1.01 ds/m. The vegetation percentage is 0.25 to 2.75, species frequency in habitats is 80-60 and density (N/m2) is 0.14-1.18. The results showed that in loamy and richer soils in terms of organic matter, density and better establishment of Ferula foetida occurs. According to the ecological conditions of different habitats, the beginning of vegetative growth of this species is the first of April, and flowering period is from the first half of April to the second half of May. The seed closure continues from the second half of May to the first half of July.