Study the yield and yield components of Safflower and Fennel under dry farming of Damavand region

Abstract Study the adaptability and yield of some medicinal plants was conducted under dry farming with using the Safflower and Fennel at Homand Rangelands Research Station of Damavand region in 2003-2007. This experiment performed under Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) in 4 replications. First Phase of this document consist of introduction, Materials and methods, results and conclusion relative to the Sofflower ( Carthamus tinctorius) and second Phase is related to the Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). The general results indicated that Safflower and Fennel were adapted and produced economic yield under dryfarming of Damavand region. Safflower with 20 plants/m2 ( row spacing 25 Cm) produced more seed yield (1119 Kg/ha ) than high density. This medium density with more plants per m2 produced more yield which was significant with others. Some indices such as Dry matter accumulation, Leaf area index, relative growth rate and crop growth rate were high in the first and median periods of growing and low in the late, which indicated some interrupt in natural growing of Safflower in high density. In the other experiment, Foeniculum vulgare was investigated. The results showed that densities treatments in the years of experiment under dryfarming condition were significant difference in dry matter, seed, plant height, essential oil percent and 1000 kernel weight in the third year of experiment. The other characters such as essential oil yield, seed weight per plant and harvest index in several densities were significant different in first and second years. Total dry matter of Foeniculum vulgare were 1229, 722, and 2079 Kg/ha in the first, second and third years of experiment respectively. Seed yield also were 611, 280 and 712 kg/ha in the first, second and third year respectively. Essential oil yield and 1000 kernel weight of Fennel were high with 11864 Kg/ha and 63.7 gr/plant respectively. The highest essential oil percent with 1.85% produced in the second year. Highest seed yield with 833 Kg/ha produced in high density in third year and most essential oil with 15584gr/ha was belong to the medium density in third year of experiment. The medium density produced the most essential oil percent and yield with 1.73% and 10161 gr/ha \} PAGE \{ respectively. In this experiment some characters such as 1000 kernel weight and harvest index was high in the first year, except most essential oil percent which produced in the second year. Dry matter, seed yield, plant height, essential oil yield and 1000 kernel weight produced in the third year of experiment. Increasing in some characters in the first year was related to 168 mm precipitation in the spring and summer. Increasing of some characters in the third year could be related to the increasing in plant age, distribution of radicals and water and nutrients absorption ability. Finally Foeniculum vulgare with using the medium density treatment in three years of experiment produced the most essential oil % and yield.