Effect of salinity (NaCl) on growth, yield, essential oil content and composition of Agastache foeniculum kuntz

Water and soil salinity on the environmental agents limit plant growth and its productivity in Iran. Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum kuntz.) is a perennial and aromatic herb plant، belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The essential oil of Anise Hyssop used in food industries، pharmacy، perfumery and making soda. This experiment was conducted in a randomized complete blocks design with six salt treatments including 0 (control)، 25، 50، 75، 100 and 125 mM NaCl and four replications in green house. Some parameters such as growth، yield and content and composition of essential oil were modulated. The results showed that salt stress had significant effects on estimated parameters. Salinity decreased plant height، number and length of axillary shoots، steam diameter، length of internodes، number and area of leaves، fresh and dry weight of leave and shoot، herbal yield and amount of essential oil in pot. In the composition of essential oil β-pinene، myrcene، anisaldehyd and β-bourbonene increased and amount of linalool and methyl chavicol decreased. Also high salinity (100 and 125 mM) destroyed plants.