Evaluation of Foliar Spray of Ferrous Sulfate and Zinc Sulfate on Yield and Nutrients Concentration of Aerial Parts in German Chamomile

In order to study the foliar application of ferrous sulfate and zinc sulfate on yield and nutrient concentration of German chamomile, a two-year experiment was carried out based on randomized complete block design with four replications at the Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tabriz in 2008 and 2009. Treatments were foliar application of Iron sulfate and Zinc sulfate separately and combined together at stem elongation, flowering, and both stages with a control. Results of ANOVA showed the significant effect on flower yield and concentration of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, copper, zinc and iron. The highest flower yield (2125 kg/ha) was obtained from foliar application of ferrous sulfate and zinc sulfate at both two stages, that it was higher (57.3 percent) than control. The flower yield in the first year was 12.5 percent more than the second year. Foliar treatments with zinc sulfate at both stages of stem elongation and flowering, ferrous sulfate at stem elongation and zinc sulfate at flowering stage have the most concentration of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium respectively. The maximum concentration of iron, zinc and copper, respectively obtained from sprayed treatments with ferrous sulfate at both stages, zinc sulfate at stem elongation and ferrous sulfate at flowering stage that increased 80.1, 5. and 32.1 percent compared to the control. Thus, from this study concluded that foliar application of chamomile with ferrous sulfate and zinc sulfate can lead to flower yield improvement, increase of concentrations of nutrients and remove of their deficiency in the plant.