Effect of Plant Density and Nitrogen Fertilizer on Morphological Traits, Seed and Essential Oil Yield and Essential Oil Content of Ajowan (Carum copticum L.)

This research was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on different traits of Ajowan (Carum copticum L.) using factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Yazd in 2012 growing season. Treatments included combination of three levels of plant density (60, 120 and 180 plant per m2) and three levels of nitrogen fertilizer (60, 90 and 120 kg/ha).The results showed that highest of flower per plant (25/27), flowering branch (7/77), diameter of top of plant(32 cm), seed yield (301/4 kg/ha) and essential oil yield (12/45 kg/ha) was obtained from 60 plant per m2 and 120 kg/ha nitrogen. Among the treatments, just effect of nitrogen fertilizer was significant on essential oil content as application of 120 kg/ha nitrogen produced highest essential oil content (4/07).