EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, CONTENT OF OIL AND YIELD OF Matricaria chamomilla L

Abstract

A field study was carried out during the winter season of 2007/2008 at the Experiment Station of Muhammed Al-qasim nursery, Ministry of Agriculture, in order to study the effects of three levels of nitrogen fertilizers (0,120,160 kg/ha.) as (urea 46 %N) with three levels (0, 75, 110 kg/ha.) of phosphorus fertilizer as (P O 52%) and control treatment (without fertilizer). Randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Results indicated that treatment with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers was significantly increased values of all parameters measured. However levels of 160 and 110 kg/ha. of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers showed highest values of (plant height, No. of branches, fresh weight, dry weight, oil percentage of fruits, 53.5 cm plant height, 35.5 branches/plant, 453.9 g plant fresh weight respectively, 216.5 g dry weight and 1.5 volatile oil percentage in flowers).