Effect of Biofertilizers and Chemical Fertilizers on Morphological Properties, Yield, Yield Components and Essence Percentage of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

Abstract Biofertilizers are one of the main sources to supply nutrient elements for plants in sustainable agriculture. In order to evaluate the effects of biofertilizers and chemical fertilizers on Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) as a medicinal plant a field experiment was conducted in the Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in a randomized complete block design with three replications in year ۲۰۰۸.The treatments were nitrogen fixation bacteria (Azotobacter and Azospirillium) and phosphate solublizing bacteria (Pseudomonas flurescence) in pure and combination treatments and chemical fertilizers treatment compared with control treatment. The result indicated that performed treatments could significantly enhance the yield and yield components. Biofertilizers increased the biological yield, seed yield, plant height, number of umbers per plant, number of seed per umber, number of seed per plant and the thousand seed weight. Combination use of Azotobacter and Azospirillium with pseudomonas had better effect on most of the studied characteristics compared with other treatments. In general, biofertilizers could be a good substitution for chemical fertilizers in cumin production. Keywords: Cumin, Azotobacter, Azospirillium, Pseudomonas, Yield