PJB-2019-1541
Effects of macronutrient supplementation on physiological, qualitative and quantitative traits of Salvia leriifolia Benth
Masoud Amini, Mohammad Kafi and Mahdi Parsa
Abstract
In order to study the effects of macronutrient fertilizers on physiological, qualitative and quantitative attributes of Salvia leriifolia Benth. (Salvia), an experiment was conducted, using a randomized complete block design with three replications at a research farm owned by the Islamic Azad University, Gonabad Branch during 2013–2015. Experimental factors included nitrogen (N) fertilizer in three levels (zero, 100 and 200 kg.ha-1 based on pure N), phosphorus (P) in three levels (zero, 50 and 100 kg.ha-1 based on P2O5) and potassium (K) fertilizer in two levels (zero and 50 kg.ha-1 based on K2O). Results showed that three-way interactions of N, P and K application were significant on all variables examined. A marked decline in chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, stomatal diameter, biological yield, and seed characteristics was observed under low doses of fertilizers. However, the highest stomatal number (167.88 mm-2 of leaf blade) and essential oil content was observed under no application of NPK fertilizer. The highest and the lowest seed oil content (38.68 and 17.61%, respectively) was recorded in the treatment of 100 kg.ha-1 N, 100 kg.ha-1 P, and 50 kg.ha-1 K, and control treatment (no fertilizer), respectively. Based on the results recorded, although salvia was a wild plant, its response to fertilizer application was similar to any other domesticated plant. The best fertilizer application levels were found to be 200 kg.ha-1 of N, 100 kg.ha-1 P, and 50 kg.ha-1 K fertilizer, at which all growth and physiological attributes expressed maximally. Of course, more investigation is needed regarding nutritional demands of salvia in different soils and climates.
To Cite this article:
Amini, M., M. Kafi and M. Parsa. 2019. Effects of macronutrient supplementation on physiological, qualitative and quantitative traits of Salvia leriifolia Benth. Pak. J. Bot., 51(6): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2019-6(22)
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