Reaction of dragonhead medicinal plant to nitrogen and micronutrient nutrition

Abstract

The present factorial study assessed the reaction of dragonhead medicinal plant to the different levels of nitrogen (N) and micronutrient nutrition during 2016–2017 arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Factor A contained three levels of N fertilizer (½ before planting and ½ one month after planting, 1/3 before planting and 1/3 one month after planting, 1/3 about forty days after planting). Factor B was micronutrients spray at five levels (control, Fe with B, Fe with Zn, B with Zn, Fe with B and Zn). According to the results, the mutual effect of nitrogen fertilizer and micronutrients affected stem height, iron and zinc percentage, essential oil percentage and yield, and plant dry weight. Additionally, nitrogen application played a role in nitrogen, iron and zinc percentage, stem height, plant dry weight, essential oil percentage and yield, as well as the number of lateral branches. Finally, micronutrients significantly influenced all characteristics under study except stem height and nitrogen percentage.

Keywords:

• Dracocephalum moldavica L.
• essential oil percentage
• essential oil yield
• iron percentage

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest was reported by the authors.