Effects of vermicompost and phosphate biofertilizer application on yield and yield components in Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.)

Application of Biofertilizers in a sustainable agriculture system improves sustainability of yield especially in medicinal plants production. Anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) is a medicinal plant containing essential oils especially in its seeds. In this reserach, the effects of vermicompost and phosphate biofertilizer on yield and yield components in anise including plant height, number of umbels per plant, 1000 grain-weight, biological yield and seed yield were studied. The experiment was carried out at Homand research station - Iran in 2009. The factors were vermicompost (0, 5, 10 ton/ha) and phosphate biofertilizer (non-inoculated, inoculated seed and inoculated seed + spraying on soil in stem elongation). The experiment design was factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with nine treatments and three replications. Mean comparison was carried out using Duncan multiple range test (P<0.05). Results showed that the highest plant height, umbel no./plant, biological yield, and seed yield were obtained from consumption of 10 ton/ha vermicompost but 1000 grain- weight were not affected by vermicompost significantly. Phosphate biofertilizer also showed significant effects on umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield (except plant height and 1000 grain-weight). The maximum umbel no./plant, biological yield and seed yield were obtained from two times consumption of phosphate biofertilizer. There were positive and synergistic interactions between factors like interactions between factors on biological yield. According to the results of this study, application of 10 ton/ha vermicompost and two times consumption of phosphate biofertilizer were determined as the most suitable treatments.