Effects of Vermicompost and Mycorrhizal Symbiosis on Some Morphological Traits and Seed Yield of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.)

In order to study the effect of vermicompost and mycorrhizal fungi on some agronomic characteristics of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) this research was carried out in Alborz Research Station, Iran's Forestry and Rangelands Research Institute in 2012-2013 under field conditions. The experiment was carried out as a factorial arrangement based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors included vermicompost at four levels (0, 3, 6, and 9 tons ha-1) and mycorrhizal fungi at four levels (no application, application of Glomus mosseae, application of Glomus intraradices, and combined application of Glomus mosseae + Glomus intraradices). The results showed that the effect of mycorrhizal fungus and vermicompost on plant height, leaf length, leaf area index, seed yield, and leaf width was significant. The effect of the interaction of treatments on leaf area index, mycorrhizal symbiosis, and 1000 seed weight was significant. The highest seed yield (617.7 kg ha-1) was obtained from the application of 9 tons of vermicompost per hectare. The mean comparison for different mycorrhizal levels showed that all the measured traits had the highest values in the combined inoculation of seeds with G. mossea and G. interaradices. The highest leaf area index (2.160) was obtained from the combined treatment of 9 tons per hectare of vermicompost and inoculation of seeds with G. mossea + G. interaradices. The highest mycorrhizal symbiosis (36.67%) was obtained in the combined treatment of 9 tons per hectare of vermicompost and seed inoculation with Glomus interaradices.