EFFECT OF NANO FERTILIZATION, CHEMICAL AND HUMIC ACID ON THE VEGETATIVE GROWTH, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND OIL YIELD OF CUMINUM CYMINUM L.

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at a private farm near El-Mahalla: Gharbieah Governorate during the two successive seasons of 2013/2014 & 2014/2015 to study the effect of different levels of fertilization and nano-particles fertilizer on the vegetative growth, chemical composition and essential oil yield of Cuminum cyminum L. plants. Silicon and graphite nanoparticles were applied to cumin plants by spraying at three levels of 20, 40 and 60 mg/l two times. The resultes showed that, using 75 % NPK dose + humic acid and 60 mg/l nano graphite gave the highest values of growth parameters, (plant height, number of both branches and umbels/ plant) while the treatment of 75 % NPK dose +2g/plant humic acid and 40 mg/l nano graphite gave the highest values of chlorophyll a and b. The treated plants with 100 % NPK and 20 mg/l nano silica gave the highest values of N and P percentages. While, the highest K % and oil % were obtained by using 100 % NPK dose and 60 mg/l nano graphite. For the major identified components in the oil were p-menta-1-en 7-al from using 75% NPK +2g/plant humic acid with 40 mg/l nano silica. It can be recommended to apply 75 % NPK dose + 2g/plant humic acid and/ or 100 % NPK with 60 mg/l nano graphite for both to obtain the highest vegetative growth parameters and essential oil yield of Cuminum cyminum L.