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Intercropping of medicinal plant can increase the diversity of farming systems. It also protects the environment, water, soil and plays an important role in healthy agricultural production and human consumption. In order to investigate the effect of intercropping and fertilizer types on dry matter (DM) yield and medicinal metabolites of chicory and fenugreek, a factorial experimentwas carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in an experimental farm located at Behbahan, Khuzestan province, Iran, during 2019-2020. The first factor was different fertilizer sources (Chemical, Organic and Integrated(in three levels; chemical fertilizer)urea + triple super phosphate), Vermicompost, and integrated fertilizer (50% chemical fertilizer+nitroxinbiofertilizer + fertile phosphate 2); while, the second factor was five levels of intercropping patterns, including: sole chicory (SC), sole fenugreek (ST), one row of chicory plus one row of fenugreek (C1T1), one row of chicory plus two rows of fenugreek (C1T2) and two rows of chicory plus one row of fenugreek (C2T1). The highest root dry weight (487 Kg/h), inulin content (1%) and inulin yield (4.87 Kg/h) of chicory root was obtained in the sole cultivation of chicory coupled with integrated fertilizer. The highest trigonelline content (0.48%) of fenugreek was obtained in C2T1 pattern coupled with chemical fertilizer application; while, the highest trigonelline yield (13.14 Kg/h) were obtained in sole cultivation of this plant. Considering the total DM yield of the two plants, the extent of medicinal actives in both plants and land equality ratio (LER) higher than one, intercropping patterns of C1T2, C1T1 treated with combined fertilizer andvermicompost were more beneficial than the sole cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the phytotoxicity of black cumin, dragonhead, dill and soybeans was investigated on the emergence and early growth criteria of canola. Experiment was conducted as factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications under greenhouse conditions, Shahrekord University, 2016. The experimental factors consisted of four species of plants (soybean, black cumin, dragonhead and dill), two fertilizer types (organic and chemical fertilizers) and two levels of plant residue (without and with residue). The results showed that the black cumin residue in soil treated with both organic and chemical fertilizers reduced the dry weight of canola seedling. In soil fertilized with organic manure, the effects of all four plants residues were the same. The chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents of canola seedling significantly decreased in soil with chemical fertilizer and black cumin or dragonhead residues. In soil fertilized with organic manure, there were no significant differences in the effects of the soybean, black cumin and dill residues. In general, the cultivation of autumn canola should be delayed until the plant residues from black cumin, dragonhead, dill and soybean have been removed or until their effects have dissipated after harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of foliar application of humic acid on Niger (Guizotia abyssinica (L.F) Cass) under drought stress, a split-plot experiment has been conducted, based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of the faculty of agriculture/ Shahrekord University, in 2016. The main factors involve four drought stress levels (60 (the control), 100, 140, and 180 mm evaporation from the evaporation pan) and the subfactor contains four humic acid levels (0, 2, 4, and 6 L.ha-1). Results show that the influence of drought stress and humic acid have been significant on plant height, number of lateral branches, number of head per unit area, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and proline (at 1% level of probability). With the exception of proline, all of the mentioned traits are decreased by drought stress and increased by humic acid. The interaction effect of drought stress and humic acid on the number of head per unit area, crop grain yield, harvest index, proline (at 1% level of probability), and plant height (at 5% level of probability) has been significant. The maximum plant height, number of heads per unit area, grain yield, and harvest index have belonged to the control through the application of humic acid at six L.ha-1, whereas the maximum rate of proline has been observed at the treatment of 180 mm evaporation without application of humic acid. It is recommended to use 100 mm evaporation regime with application of humic acid at 4 L.ha-1 for more economic profit. The experiment shows that foliar application of humic acid under drought stress conditions could be effective in reducing stress-induced damages, during the plant growth period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]