INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE & BIOLOGY

ISSN Print: 1560–8530; ISSN Online: 1814–9596

07–063/ASB/2008/10–4–451–454
http://www.fspublishers.org

Full Length Article

Effect of Salinity and Drought Stresses on Growth Parameters

and Essential Oil Content of Matricaria chamomila
KHORSHID RAZMJOO1, PARISA HEYDARIZADEH AND MOHAMMAD R. SABZALIAN
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, P.O. Box: 84156-83111, Isfahan, Iran
1
Corresponding author’s e-mail: krazmjoo@cc.iut.ac.ir

ABSTRACT

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomila) is an important essential oil bearing plant that has adaptability to a wide range of climates
and soils. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of salinity and drought stresses on growth and oil content
of chamomile. Irrigation water with five different salinity levels (0, 84, 168, 252 & 336 mmol L-1 NaCl) were applied at
shooting stage in potted plants. In the second experiment, five irrigation regimes (irrigation after 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 days) were
used for three months from shooting stage to the end of flowering under field conditions. Results indicated that increased
salinity caused reduction in the number of branches per plant, flowers per plant, peduncle length and head diameter. Increased
salinity also significantly reduced the fresh and dry flower weight and essential oil content. Drought caused a significant
reduction in plant height, the number of branches and flowers, peduncle length, head diameter, fresh and dry flower weight
and essential oil content. The highest values of flower dry weight and essential oil content were observed under non-salinity
stress (control) and 2 days interval irrigation. Chamomile did tolerate 84 mmol NaCl and 4 days interval irrigation without
severe reduction in flower yield and oil content.

Key Words: Chamomile; Essential oil; Salinity; Drought; Matricaria chamomile; Growth; Irrigation; Dry weight

INTRODUCTION that greater soil water stress decreased plant height and total
fresh and dry weight of Satureja hortensis. Colom and
Salinity and drought have considerable adverse Vazzana (2002) also showed that the number of stem per
impacts on productivity of agricultural plants. Soil salinity, plant and plant dry weight was negatively related to water
resulting from natural processes or from crop irrigation with stress in Eragrostis curvula.
saline water, occurs in many arid and semi-arid regions of Chamomile (Matricaria chamomila L.) is an
the world (Laüchli & Epstein, 1990). It adversely affects important essential oil bearing and medicinal plant in recent
plant growth and development. According to Tanji (1990), years. The production of essential oil not only depends upon
20% of cultivated lands are adversely affected by high salt the metabolic state of the source tissues, but also may be
concentration worldwide, which inhibits plant growth and integrated with the stress factors (Sangwan et al., 2001).
yield. Removing salinity stress is a main issue in these Chamomile has adaptability to a wide range of climates and
regions to ensure agricultural sustainability. An excess of soil conditions and its cultivation may be an alternative
soluble salts in the soil leads to osmotic stress, specific ion option in areas with drought and salinity problems.
toxicity and ionic imbalances (Munns, 2003) and the However, the performance of this plant in drought and
consequences of these can be plant death or yield losses in salinity stress environments, and the effect of these stresses
both crop species and medicinal plants (Rout & Shaw, on its oil production have not been studied well. The
2001). Ashraf et al. (2004) found that increasing salt objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of
concentrations caused a significant reduction in the fresh drought and saline water on growth characteristics and
and dry masses of both shoots and roots as well as seed essential oil content of chamomile.
yield of Ammolei majus, while reduced plant fresh and dry
yield in Hyoscyamus niger. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Limited water supply is also another major
environmental constraint in productivity of crop and Salinity experiment. Plastic pots with a top diameter of 20
medicinal plants. Moisture deficiency induces various cm and a depth of 25 cm were filled with clay loam soil.
physiological and metabolic responses like stomatal closure Three seeds of chamomile (Matricaria chamomila L.)
and decline in growth rate and photosynthesis (Flexas & collected from natural rangelands of Iran were planted in
Medrano, 2002). The results of Baher et al. (2002) showed each pot. Then water with five different salinity levels (0,

To cite this paper: Razmjoo, K., P. Heydarizadeh and M.R. Sabzalian, 2008. Effect of salinity and drought stresses on growth parameters and essential oil
content of Matricaria chamomila. Int. J. Agri. Biol., 10: 451–4
 RAZMJOO et al. / Int. J. Agri. Biol., Vol. 10, No. 4, 2008

84, 168, 252 & 336 mmol L-1) was prepared. This salinity stress environment. As stated by Munns (2003),
experiment was conducted using a randomized complete suppression of plant growth under saline conditions may
block design with three replications under natural conditions either be due to decreased availability of water or to the
in Isfahan, Iran. Irrigation with two liters of saline water was toxicity of sodium chloride. Also the reduction in dry
started at shooting stage in each pot and then irrigation with weight under salinity stress may be attributed to inhibition
saline water was applied every day for two months. Plant of hydrolysis of reserved foods and their translocation to the
height, peduncle length, the number of flowers per plant, growing shoots. Salinity stress imposes additional energy
head diameter, the number of branches per plant and fresh requirements on plant cells and less carbon is available for
and dry weight of flowers were measured. A 20 g sample of growth and flower primordial initiation and then less
dried and threshed flowers was mixed with 500 mL of tap essential oil may be synthesized (Cheesman, 1988). Kumar
water in flask and water was distilled for 7 h using a and Gill (1995) showed that increasing salinity stresses
Clevenger-type apparatus. The essential oil content was caused a reduction, both in shoot and root yield of
measured. Data were analyzed using SAS statistical Citronella, lemongrass and vetiver. Ansari et al. (1998) also
program (SAS Institute, 1989). compared the performance of three Cymbopogon grasses, C.
Drought (irrigation regimes) experiment. Seeds were winterianus, C. flexuosus and C. martinii at different levels
planted in rows using a randomized complete block design of NaCl salinity. They concluded that salinity resulted in the
with three replications in the field. Plot size was 2×2 m with suppression of plant growth and a decline in essential oil
8 rows, row distance was 20 cm and the distance between concentration and yield in all species.
plans in each row was 10 cm. Plants were watered with five The ability to limit Na+ transport into the shoots, and
irrigation regimes (at day 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10) after reaching to reduce the Na+ accumulation in the rapidly growing shoot
shooting stage during 2006 growth season. Treatments were tissues, is critically important for maintenance of high
continued for three months under natural conditions. Plant growth rates and protection of the metabolic process in
height, fresh and dry weight of flowers, peduncle length, the elongating cells from the toxic effects of Na+. However, this
number of flowers, head diameter, the number of branches characteristic was not considered in this study.
and essential oil content (based on percent flower dry Drought (irrigation regimes) experiment. Drought
weight) were measured after harvesting and data were induced by irrigation regimes caused reduction in all growth
statistically analyzed as described for salinity experiment. parameters (Table III & IV). As irrigation regimes increased
from 2 to 10 days, plant height, flower fresh weight, flower
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION dry weight, peduncle length and the number of branches
were reduced from 43.08 cm to 32.33 cm, 462.4 gm-2 to
Salinity experiment. With increase in salinity from 0 to 171.2 gm-2, 188.8 gm-2 to 67.2 gm-2, 9.71 cm to 6.52 cm and
336 mmol L-1 NaCl, plant height, flower fresh weight, 464.0 m-2 to 388.0 m-2, respectively. Colom and Vazzana
flower dry weight, and peduncle length were reduced from (2002) reported that drought, severely reduced average plant
39 to 20 cm, 4.02 to 1.23 g, 3.78 to 0.81 g and 11.7 to 6.3 height and flower dry weight in three cultivars of Eragrostis
cm, respectively (Table I). Salinity also caused reduction in curvula. The greatest reduction was observed in oil content
the number of flowers, the number of branches and head (69.54%) and flower dry weight (64.4%) under 10 days
diameter (Table II). The main reason for this reduction may interval irrigation but under 4 days interval irrigation the
be attributed to suppression of growth under salinity stress reduction was as low as 25.86% and 23.94%, respectively.
during the early developmental stages (shooting stage) of The essential oil content decreased from 1.74% in 2
the plants. Greatest reduction was observed in oil content days irrigation regime to 0.53% in 10 days irrigation regime
(71%) and flower dry weight (78.6%) at 336 mmol L-1 NaCl (Table IV). Similar results were observed for C. flexuosus
level, but at 84 mmol NaCl level, reduction was as low as under drought by Sangwan et al. (1993). The reduction in
25 and 29.3%, respectively. Also the reduction in the essential oil content may be due to disturbance in
number of flowers (61.36%) was more drastic than other photosynthesis and carbohydrate production under stress
parameters. Reduction in flower dry weight due to salinity condition and suppression of the plant growth (Flexas &
may be a cumulative effect of decline in the number of Medrano, 2002). Reduction in oil content and compositional
flowers. alterations in the essential oils as a consequence of drought
Salinity stress significantly decreased essential oil has also been described in mints (Charles et al., 1990) and
content from 1% in control treatment to 0.29% at 336 mmol sweet basil (Simon et al., 1992). In Artemisia annua,
salinity level (Table II). Ashraf et al. (2004) also showed Chalchat et al. (1994) observed that water stress strongly
that oil content in the seed of medicinal plant, bishop’s weed depressed oil yield and plentiful irrigation raised it.
(Ammolei majus), was decreased consistently with increase Putievsky et al. (1990) also reported that water stress had a
in external salt levels. In crop species, salinity also caused negative impact on green yield and essential oil yield of
reduction in oil content, achene and oil yield (Khatoon et geranium. However, Holtzer et al. (1988) believed that
al., 2000; Qasim et al., 2004). Reduced flower weight may depending upon the plant species and plant genotype,
have resulted in oil content reduction of chamomile under drought stress can increase, decrease or have no effect on

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Table I. Effect of salinity levels on some growth parameters of chamomile

Salinity (mm) Height (cm) Flower fresh weight (g pot-1) Flower dry weight (g pot-1) Peduncle length (cm)
0 39.3±2.25a* (0) 4.02±0.24a (0) 3.78±0.5a (0) 11.7±1.01a* (0)
84 36.0±1.22ab (8.4%) 3.60±0.22b (10.4) 2.67±0.35b (29.3%) 9.3±0.42b (20.5%)
168 33.0±1.03bc (16%) 2.94±0.41b (26.9%) 2.61±0.21b (30.9%) 8.8±0.35c (24.78%)
252 28.3±2.1c (27.9%) 2.79±0.30b (30.6%) 2.04±0.14b (46.03%) 8.2±0.65c (29.91%)
336 20.0±1.54d (49.1%) 1.23±0.12c (69.4%) 0.81±0.06c (78.6%) 6.3±0.83d (46.15%)
*means (±SE) with different letters in each column have significant difference based on Duncan’s significant range test, P<0.05. Data in parenthesis are
percent reduction in the trait over control treatment in each salinity level.

Table II. Effect of salinity levels on some growth parameters of chamomile

Salinity (mm) Number of flower per plant Head diameter (cm) Number of branch per plant Essential oil content (%)
0 194.1±14.21a (0) 2.19±0.14a* (0) 24.09±1.04a (0) 1.0±0.007a (0)
ab a b
84 163.5±10.46 (15.76%) 2.08±0.09 (5%) 21.09±1.01 (12.45%) 0.75±0.006b (25%)
168 129.9±8.56bc (33.07%) 1.84±0.08b (15.98%) 19.08±1.1b (20.79%) 0.40±0.001c (60%)
252 123.9±6.42c (36.16%) 1.83±0.06b (16.43%) 15.18±1.04c (36.98%) 0.33±0.004d (67%)
d b c
336 75.0±7.62 (61.36%) 1.70±0.08 (22.37%) 13.5±1.12 (43.96%) 0.29±0.001e (71%)
*means (±SE) with different letters in each column have significant difference based on Duncan’s significant range test, P<0.05. Data in parenthesis are
percent reduction in the trait over control treatment in each salinity level.

Table III. Effect of drought (irrigation regimes) levels on some growth parameters of chamomile

Irrigation regime(day) Height (cm) Flower fresh weight (gm-2) Flower dry weight (gm-2) Peduncle length(cm)
2 43.08±3.1a* (0) 462.4±21.2a* (0) 188.8±7.25a* (0) 9.71±1.2a* (0)
ab b b
4 40.20±3.04 (6.68%) 345.2±12.3 (25.34%) 143.6±8.21 (23.94%) 9.15±1.35a (5.76%)
bc c c
6 36.96±1.28 (14.2%) 294.4±11.4 (36.33%) 108.4±2.2 (42.58%) 7.39±0.42b (23.89%)
8 35.33±1.2bc (17.98%) 232.0±8.96d (49.82%) 104.8±2.3d (44.49%) 6.97±0.58bc (28.22%)
10 32.33±1.08c (24.95%) 171.2±8.4e (62.97%) 67.2±1.23e (64.4%) 6.52±0.81c (32.85%)
’
*means (±SE) with different letters in each column have significant difference based on Duncan s significant range test, P<0.05. Data in parenthesis are
percent reduction in the trait in each irrigation regime over 2 day irrigation

Table IV. Effect of drought (irrigation regimes) levels on some growth parameters of chamomile

Irrigation regime(day) Number of flower (per m2) Head diameter (cm) Number of branch (per m2) Essential oil (%)
2 7510.0±186.9a* (0) 2.02±0.05a* (0) 464.0±18.2a* (0) 1.74±0.008a* (0)
b b a
4 6204.0±156.8 (17.39%) 1.75±0.02 (13.36%) 456.4±12.1 (1.6%) 1.29±0.002b (25.86%)
6 5162.4±145.5c (31.26%) 1.58±0.01c (21.78%) 450.4±7.45ab (2.93%) 0.73±0.006c (58.04%)
8 4659.2±85.2d (37.96%) 1.53±0.03cd (24.26%) 419.2±8.9ab (9.6%) 0.62±0.009d (64.37%)
10 4097.2±59.4e (45.4%) 1.43±0.01d (29.2%) 388.0±5.8b (16.4%) 0.53±0.001e (69.54%)
’
*means (±SE) with different letters in each column have significant difference based on Duncan s significant range test, P<0.05. Data in parenthesis are
percent reduction in the trait in each irrigation regime over 2-day irrigation

the levels of metabolites. Shabih et al. (1999) reported that CONCLUSION

when moisture deficiency does not limit plant growth and
survival, the production of secondary metabolites such as Chamomile was moderately tolerant to salinity and
essential oil is even stimulated by limited stressful water stress, because salinity and water deficiencies
environments. In this experiment, one accession was used inhibited various growth parameters of this plant to various
but based on growth retardation under drought stress degrees. The oil content indicated a greater reduction due to
conditions it seems that irrigation at optimum condition may increased salinity and water stress than other traits.
promote greater essential oil biosynthesis in chamomile. Chamomile can be grown successfully on most agricultural
In this study, NaCl had more inhibitory effect on oil soils, as long as NaCl does not exceed the critical values (84
production and all growth parameters except head diameter mmol in this study). Also 4 days irrigation regime may not
of chamomile than drought condition based on percent severely affect flower yield and oil content of chamomile.
reduction in each trait. Na+ and Cl- may readily cross the Thus, chamomile can be grown in soils where enough
cell membrane into the cytoplasm, and they are able to irrigation water is not available.
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(Received 30 March 2007; Accepted 14 September 2007)

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