Effect of Organic and Recycling Materials Application on Growth, Morphological and Qualitative Characteristics of Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) as a Medicinal Plant

In this study, the impact of different organic substrate on morphological and qualitative characteristics of Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) was evaluated. The experimental design was conducted in completely randomized design with three replications and eight treatments in the year of 2014 in the research field of Islamic Azad University Isfahan branch. The treatments were including garden soil as control and different proportions of garden soil plus different organic materials include spent mushroom compost, Rice bran and manure. The results showed that the combined application of different substrates (Treatment No. 4: garden soil + spent mushroom compost + Rice bran + manure at a volume ratio of 25%) significantly increased leaf area (47.76 cm2), plant height (24.60 cm), shoots and flowers dry weight (0.043 and 0.014 g respectively), chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll. The highest root dry weight (0.0056 g) was observed on treatment No. 7 (garden soil + spent mushroom compost + manure at a volume ratio of 33%) and treatment No. 8 (garden soil + manure at a volume ratio of 50%). As a result, Phetalic acid and Δ-cadinene were present in all substrates and the most of Δ-cadinene (39.24%) was obtained from the treatment No. 7 (garden soil + spent mushroom compost + manure at a volume ratio of 33%).