Effect of NPK Rates and Inoculation with Mycorrhizal Fungi on Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Plant in Sandy Soils

This study was carried out during the winter seasons of 2014-15 and 2015-16 at The Experimental Farm of
Environmental Agricultural Sciences Faculty, Arish University, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this work
was to study the effect of different NPK rates (0.00, 22.4, 44.8 and 67.2 Kg/fed) and different Mycorrhizal fungi
concentrations (0.00, 28, 56 and 84 g/fed) and their interactions on growth and chemical content of dry leaves (nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium), and fresh leaves content of chlorophyll A and B as well as dry flower content of oil of
chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) under sandy soil conditions. A Split plot design was used NPK rates were
randomly arranged in main plots and the mycorrhizal fungi concentrations were randomly distributed in the sub plots,
Drip irrigation was used. Distance between lines was 50 cm and between plants in the same row was 30 cm (28000
plant per fed). The obtained results showed that the highest values of vegetative growth (plant height, stem diameter,
number of branches, fresh and dry weight of herb, root length, and root fresh and dry weight), flower traits (number of
folwer/plant, flower fresh and dry weight, and flower diameter), chemical constituents (N, P, K), chlorophyll content (a
& b), and essential oil percentage were achieved when chamomile plants treated with 67.2 kg NPK/fed or 84g/fed
mycorrhizal fungi. The interaction results indicated that the highest values of all previous traits were recorded with
plants fertilized with 67.2 kg NPK/fed and inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi at 84 g/fed.