Performance and quality Response of Satureja Spicijera Essential Oil to Organic and Chemical Fertilizers.

In order to increase the quantitative and qualitative yield of Satureja spicigera essential oil with proper plant nutrition, this study was carried out in East Azerbaijan.

This research was carried out as a randomized complete block design with eight fertilizer treatments (no fertilizer, N50, P25, K25 (kg/ha), Cow Manure (30, 60 ton/ha), Cow Manure (30, 60 ton/ha) +(kg/ha) N50, P25, K25 , Vermi-compost (5 ton/ha), Vermi-compost (5 ton/ha) +(kg/ha) N50, P25, K25) and three replications in four years (2017-2020). During the cropping season, plant height, flowering date, canopy area and green shoot yield were measured. Essential oil was extracted by distillation with distilled water and analysis of essential oil was done by gas chromatograph (GC/MS).

There was a significant difference between fertilizer treatments in terms of all traits. The main components of essential oil were thymol, parasimen and gamaterpinen, respectively. The highest yield of flowering branches at 3687 kg/ha and yield of essential oil at 54.65 kg/ha and the highest quality of essential oil (total phenolic compounds of thymol and carvacrol) at 62.59% by applying Vermi-compost5ton/ha+N50P25K25kg/ha were obtained.

Combined consumption of fertilizer treatments, especially animal manure with chemical fertilizers, in addition to increasing the yield, causes the crop to ripen early and not face the cold of early autumn. As the plant ages, the yield of the essential oil increases, but the yield is later and the quality of the essential oil decreases.