Effects of phosphate bio-fertilizer, organic manure and chemical fertilizers on yield, yield components and seed capabilities of isabgol (Plantago ovate)

ABSTRACT: Fertilizers are known to play an essential role in many crop productions in agricultural systems, but scientific research is little about the interactive effects of various fertilizers on yield and seed capabilities of medicinal plants. The effects of organic manure and chemical fertilizer on yield, yield component and seed capabilities of isabgol (Plantago ovate) were studied in two experiments at Zabol University Iran. In one experiment organic manure and chemical fertilizer were utilized in a field experiment on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. And in another experiment the effect of organic manure and chemical fertilizer was experimented in laboratory conditions on completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The applied treatments were as follows: manure (20 ton ha-1) (T1); vermi-compost (10 ton ha-1) (T2); phosphate bio-fertilizer (E-barvar 2) (100 g ha-1) (T3); phosphate bio-fertilizer (E- barvar 3) (100 g ha-1) (T4); phosphate chemical fertilizer (Triple Superphosphate) (50 kg ha-1) (T5); control (T6). Results showed that fertilizers application had significant effect on any of the evaluated traits in both experiments. The effect of vermi-compost on spike length, number of seed per spike, grains per spike, 1000-seed weight, crop yield and seed yield per hectare was stronger than in the other treatments. Maximum number of spikes per plant, root length and germination rate were recorded for the phosphate bio-fertilizer (E-barvar 2), and the minimum electrical conductivity (the highest seed power) was related to phosphate bio-fertilizer (E-barvar 3). The effect of the organic manure on the length of stems and germination percentage, were higher than in the other treatments.