Nitrogenous fertilizer influence on quantity and quality values of balm (Melissa officinalis L.)

Abstract

-1 ). The analysis of variance showed that N fertilizer had significant effect on biological yield, essential oil percentage, essetial oil content, plant height and tiller number (P � 0.01). Highest biological yield (6788 kg ha -1 ) and plant height (61.63 cm) were produced by application of 90 kg N ha -1 and highest tiller number (32.6 tiller/plant), essetial oil percentage (0.2577%) and essetial oil content (16.05 kg ha -1 ) were obtained under application of 60 kg N ha -1 . The results showed that optimal application of N fertilizer increased quantity and quality values of balm, but application of inordinate N fertilizer reduced all plant values. Consequently, our finding may give applicable advice to farmers and medicinal and aromatic plants researches for management and proper use of N fertilizer in farming of balm.