Effects of biological fertilizers on essential oil components and quantitative and qualitative yield of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora)

ABSTRACT: To evaluate the effect of bio-fertilizers on growth and quantitative and qualitative yields of Lippia Citriodora, an experiment was conducted in April 2011 at Research Farm of Agricultural and Animal Industrial Corporation of Moghan, Parsabad. The research was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replications and nine treatment, included control without any fertilizer, Nitrokara (1 gram per plant), Bio-sulfur (0.5 gram per plant) with 25 grams of sulfur, Barvar-2-phosphor (1 gram per plant), Nitrokara with Barvar-2-phosphor, Nitrokara with Bio-sulfur, Bio-sulfur with Barvar-2-phosphor, Bio-sulfur with Barvar-2-phosphor with Nitrokara, and Urea 20 grams with triple phosphate 25 grams with potassium sulfate 25 grams, as treatment of 1 -9, respectively. The results showed that application of bio fertilizer, significantly increased traits such as fresh and dry weight of leaves, fresh and dry weight of stem, plant height, plant diameter, number of sub stems and flowers. Application of mixture of bio-fertilizers (Bio sulfur with Barvar-2-phosphor with Nitrokara) showed significant difference in percentage of essential oil compared to control. The essential oil components identified by GC-MS; consisted 97.86 percent of total essential oil of lemon verbena; were 25 compounds as following: 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one, alpha-Pinene ,Caryophyllene, Limonene, Linalool, Geranyl acetate, Cadinene, Neral, B-Bourbonene, Aromadedrene, Spathulenol, Limonene Oxide, ?-Copaene, ?-Muurolene, Curcumene, Dihydrocarveol , Himachalol , Isolongifolan-7-?-ol, Methyl eugenol , Neo-Alloocimene , Neo-Verbenol, Nerolidol Dihydrate Sabinene, Trans-Carveol and Trans-verbenol.