Effects of Vermicompost and Manures on Growth Characteristics and Yield Components of Purslane (Portuleca oleracea L. var Behbahani)

Fertilizer management is an important factor in successful cultivation of pharmaceutical plants. In order to investigate the effects of vermicompost and manures on growth characteristics and yield components of purslane (Portuleca oleracea L. var Behbahani), this study was carried out in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in research greenhouses of Islamic Azad University- Isfahan Branch in 2014. Treatments were cow manure, sheep manure, buffalo manure and vermicompost of cow in 10, 20, 30, and 40% levels plus control (17 treatments). According to results, using manure had significant superiority (p<0.05) in all studied traits, so that, the highest fresh and dry weights of leaves, stem, and root, stem length, number of leaves, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts were obtained in 30% cow manure. Also, this treatment had the highest number of capsules per plant, seeds per plant, and 1000- seeds weight as yield components. On the whole, results showed that using manure can play important role in production and yield increment of Behbahani pursalne to reduce chemical fertilizers pollution and reach to sustainable agriculture.