PRODUCTIVITY OF DILL ( ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS L.) AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT ORGANIC MANURE RATES AND SOURCES

Abstract

Dill ( Anethum graveolens L.) plants were cultivated during two successive seasons (2002/2003 and 2003/2004). The experimental were conducting at the Experimental Farm, National Research Center (NRC), Egypt, to study the effect of different combination of organic fertilizers such as chicken and sheep manure and its rates on dill ( Anethum graveolens L.) plants. The obtained results indicated that, treated plants with different combination of organic fertilizers and its rates resulted in a significant increase in growth and yield characters , i.e. plant height, branch number, leaf number, umbel number, fresh weight, dry weight and fruit yield / plant in comparison with control plants. Chemical composition analysis of treated plants showed an increase in the essential oil percentage and main components (Carvone (R) and Limonene) of essential oil extracted from dill (Anethum graveolens L.) fruits. Treated plants showed a decreases in the heavy metals content in the plant tissues comparison to untreated plants. Also these results indicated that the application of organic manure reduced the harmful effects of hazardous heavy metals

Keywords

• dill (anethum graveolens l.)
• organic fertilizers
• chicken manure
• sheep manure
• vegetative growth
• essential oil
• heavy metals