Influence of Tryptophan and Glycine Acids on Growth and Productivity of Fennel under Different Organic Fertilizer Levels

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

Department of Nutrition and Food Processing, Al-Huson University College, Al-Balqa Applied University Al-Salt 19117, Jordan

Abstract

This research aimed to improve the growth, productivity, and volatile oil production of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, Mill.) plants. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of farmyard manure (FYM) and amino acid mixtures (tryptophan and glycine) at different concentrations on fennel plants and their interaction parameters. The highest plant height was recorded with the application of 40 m³ ha-1 FYM. Significant effects due to the applied organics were observed on the number of branches plant-1, total dry weight plant-1, number of umbels plant-1, fruit yield, and volatile oil yield ha-1. When compared with the abundance of other amino acids under study, fennel plants sprayed with 300 ppm T + glycine showed an increase in the above parameters. The best productivity and volatile oil was achieved in fennel plants grown with organic fertilizer (40 m3 ha-1), including foliar spray of amino acids at a concentration of 300 ppm. The gas chromatography (GC/MS) analysis of fennel oil showed that the main compounds were estragole, D-limonene, L-fenchone, and anethole, which had the highest proportions of volatile oil compositions compared to other compounds. This study concluded that using organic fertilizers with foliar application and amino acids had positive effects on fennel growth, productivity, and volatile oil compounds.

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