Evaluation of the effect of biological, organic and chemical nutrition on some morphological traits, dry matter yield and essential oil of dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.)

This experiment was performed as factorial based on a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications. The first factor included of the application of chemical and farmyard fertilizers in four levels of control, 100 % chemical fertilizer, 50% chemical fertilizer + 50% of farmyard manure and 100% farmyard manure (30 tons per hectare). The highest plant height, inflorescence length and dry matter yield were obtained with application of 50% chemical fertilizer + 50% farmyard manure, the highest number and weight of flowering lateral stems with 100% application of farmyard manure and the highest number of lateral stems, main stem diameter and plant dry weight by applying 100% chemical fertilizer. The number of lateral and flowering stems per plant, 1000-grain weight and dry matter yield were significantly increased under Super nitro plus or Humica application compared to the control. The highest percentage of essential oil was obtained in the treatments of 50% chemical fertilizer + 50% manure without Humica and Super nitro plus (0.77%), 100% farmyard manure + Humica (0.72%) and 50% chemical fertilizer + 50% farmyard manure with the application of Humica (0.69%), with no significant difference each other, respectively. The highest essential oil yield was obtained in 50% chemical fertilizer + 50% animal manure with application of Humica (1.83 g.m-2), application of 100% farmyard manure with application of Humica (1.79 g.m-2) and 50% chemical fertilizer + 50 % of farmyard manure without Humica and Super nitro plus (1.74 g.m-2).