Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Graduated from Master's degree, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
3
Researcher, Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AERI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
Abstract
Due to the importance of Milk thistle, a study was conducted to evaluate the effects of irrigation type and bio-fertilizers on this plant. For this purpose, a split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with 10 treatments and three replications at Miandoab, West Azerbaijan province during 2016-2017. Experimental treatments consisted of irrigation type (complete irrigation and non-irrigation) as main factor and bio-fertilizers (control, N (b), P (b), K (b) and NPK (b)) as sub-factor. According to the results, the interaction effect of irrigation type × bio-fertilizer for grain yield and biological yield at 1% level was significant and for oil percentage and oil yield, forage quality indices and nutrient uptake was not significant. However, the simple effects of irrigation and bio-fertilizer were significant for oil content at 5% and for oil yield at 1%. However, the effect of bio-fertilizers on crude fiber, water soluble carbohydrates and dry matter percent digestibility was significant. According to the obtained results, the comparison of the average of the interaction effect showed that the maximum seed yield (981.6 kg ha-1) was observed in the condition of full irrigation and the phosphorus bio-fertilizer treatment, and the minimum seed yield (548.7 kg ha-1) was assigned to the control treatment in the condition of no irrigation. The results of the comparison of the mean interaction effect for the biological performance of Milk thistle showed that the complete bio-fertilizer treatment in full irrigation conditions had the maximum value (6578 kg ha-1) and the control treatment in non-irrigation conditions had the minimum value (4311 kg ha-1). Also, under complete irrigation conditions and phosphate bio-fertilizer application, oil content increased significantly. Although complete bio-fertilizer treatment increased grain yield but decreased the quality of Milk thistle oil. Therefore, if Milk thistle oil is used for industrial purposes, it is recommended to
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