The methods of nitrogen application influence on essential oil yield and water use efficiency of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.)

Ali Alizadeh Sahzabi¹, Ebrahim Sharifi Ashoorabadi², Amir Hossein Shiranirad³, Bohlool Abbaszadeh² and Hossein Aliabadi Farahani⁴*

¹Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch, Iran.

²Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands, Iran.

³Seed and Plant Improvement Institute (SPII), Karaj, Iran.

⁴Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Iran.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: farahani_aliabadi@yahoo.com.

Accepted 13 January, 2010

   Abstract

To evaluate the beneficial impact of methods of nitrogen application on summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.), some yield characters were investigated. The objective in this study was, the interactive effects of foliar nitrogen application and solid nitrogen application on: essential oil yield and water use efficiency at Iran in 2006. The experiment was carried out using a factorial design with three replications. Certain factors including solid nitrogen application (non-application, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha^-1) and foliar nitrogen application (non-application, 4.5, 6 and 7.5%) that sprayed in three stages (stem elongation stage, the beginning of flowering stage and the beginning of seed formation stage) were studied. The final statistical analysis indicated that in the high solid N application, yield compounds were significantly higher. Flowering shoot yield, essential oil yield, seed yield and root yield of plants were higher in units by higher solid N application in plant. The foliar N application treatment significantly increased yield compounds, biological yield, essential oil percentage and water use efficiency. Foliar N application persist less in damaging of soil N application result, and it enables plant to significantly grow its shoot and root developing along soil depth and consequently increasing essential oil yield and water use efficiency of summer savory. The findings may give applicable advice to commercial farmers and medicinal and aromatic plants researchers for management and concern on fertilizer strategy and carefully estimate solid N supply by foliar N application.

Key words: Foliar nitrogen application, solid nitrogen application, essential oil yield, water use efficiency, Satureja hortensis L.