Effect of Amino Acids Application on Production, Volatile Oil and ChemicalComposition of Chamomile Cultivated in Saline Soil at Sinai

摘要

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of soil salinity and amino acids application on the vegetative growth, flower yield, chemical compositions and essential oil production of Matricaria recutita L. during two seasons (2010/2011 and 2011/2012) at North Sinai Governorate, Egypt. Plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry flower yield and contents of chlorophyll a, b, and carotene were significantly lowered with the rise in salt stress. On the contrary, increasing soil salinity significantly increased proline, polyphenol and flavonoid content. Generally increasing salt stress increased essential oil percentage and yield (L/feddan). The addition of amino acids significantly increased plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry flower yield, chlorophyll a, proline and polyphenol and insignificantly in chlorophyll b, carotene, as well as significantly decreased flavonoid value. The interaction between highest level of salinity and high dose of amino acids gave the best results for plant height, number of branches as well as fresh and dry weights of flowers. Whereas, higher level of soil salinity without amino acids gave the highest values of essential oil % and yield. Highest chlorophyll a, b, and carotene content were recorded in lower saline soil with spraying amino acids 375 ppm. The maximum values of proline and polyphenol content were obtained from higher level of both salinity and amino acids. The highest content of total flavonoids resulted from the highest salt level without amino acids spray. Concerning essential oil constituents, α-bisabolol oxide A, α-bisabolol oxide B, cis-β-farnesene, and bisabolone oxide were the four major compounds. The combined treatment (11.28 ds/m + 250 ppm amino acids) gave the highest relative percent of α-bisabolol oxide A (56.48%), α-bisabolol oxide B (17.90%) and bisabolone oxide (14.90%)., while treatment (13.93 ds/m + 125 ppm amino acids) gave the highest percent (14.99%) of cis-β-farnesene.