Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Improved growth and essential oil quality of Foeniculum vulgare by Azospirillum inoculation and nutrient seed priming

Author(s):

Bahram Mirshekari ^*, Negar Valizadeh, Arezoo Mirmozaffari Roudsari, Somayeh Hosseinian Maleki, Farhad Farahvash, Sahar Baser Kouchebagh

Recieved Date: 2010-07-24, Accepted Date: 2010-11-07

Abstract:

A field experiment was done at the Research Station of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran, during 2008 for investigation of responses of seed yield and essential oil constituents of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) on seed biofertilization with Azospirillum strains and priming with microelements. Fennel seed priming with microelements and biofertilization influenced number of umbels per plant, significantly, and maximum increase of 31% was obtained in both A. lipoferum inoculated and primed seeds as compared the control. In biofertilized plants, thousand seed weight ranged between 5.61 g in A. irakense and 5.97 g in A. brasilense. Seed treatment with microelements increased thousand seed weight of fennel up to 7.5%, compared with the control. Mean seed yield of fennel among treatments ranged from 441 to 583 kg ha^-1. In primed and non-primed seeds, response of A. lipoferum and A. brasilense were better than other strains in seed yield. Essential oil yield responded positively with seed biofertilization and priming, and ranged from 16.35 l ha^-1 in control to 24.78 l ha^-1 in seeds inoculated with A. lipoferum and primed with microelements. Seed priming in the absence of biofertilizer could improve essence yield up to 27.2% as compared to non-treated plants. Content of anethole ranged from 69% in the control to 73.5%, 74%, 75% and 78% in strains of lipoferum, strain 21, brasilense and irakense, respectively. Seed inoculation with A. lipoferum and priming with microelements could be successfully manipulated in growth and production of fennel resulting in beneficial changes in quantity and quality of essential oil.

Keywords:

Anethole, biofertilization, essential oil, microelements, quality, thousand seed weight

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2010
Volume: 8
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 403-406

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