Evaluation of the most important medicinal and aromatic crops production under different agricultural techniques in new reclaimed soil.

摘要

The present study aimed to evaluate production of some medicinal and aromatic plants in new reclaimed soil of Upper Egypt region to meet out their great demand by enlarging their cultivation area mostly concentrated in old lands (89%), and in other regions (91%). Production of five crops (anise, black-cumin, caraway, coriander and cumin) which were found to be the most economically important ones were evaluated in new reclaimed soil at Agriculture Experimental Farm of Sohag University for two successive seasons, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. Production was evaluated under either chemical or organic agricultural techniques using recommended dose from each one compared to control, without fertilization. Ail studied crops grew normally until harvest time which needed from 5.5 months for cumin to 6.5 months for anise and caraway. Fertilization was essential in such new reclaimed soil where control plants gave the least vegetative growth and seed yield compared to any fertilization treatment for all studied crops in both years. Chemical fertilization showed significantly better results in most vegetative growth and seed yield parameters compared to organic fertilization. The average of seed yield over the two studied years under organic and chemical fertilization were 234.3-323.5, 97.0-132.4, 1259.4-1866.0, 221.5-293.4 and 108.1-184.3 kg per feddan for anise, black-cumin, caraway, coriander and cumin respectively. The economic study effectuated on revenues and total costs of production showed a good net return for all studied crops except black-cumin which gave maximally 230 L. E. per feddan. The other studied crops gave a net return from L200 up to 13,320 L. E. per feddan depending on crop and agricultural technique. The reported results should encourage farmers to increase cultivation area of studied crops in new reclaimed soil. This may also increase exportation of these economically important crops which subsequently contribute in improving national income.