EFFECT OF COMPOST, MINERAL NPK, EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISMS AND SOME VITAMIN TREATMENTS ON GROWTH, FRUIT YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT OF CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM, L.) PLANTS

Two field experiments were carried out during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons at the Experimental Farm, Fac. Agric., Minia Univ. to investigate the effect of compost (0, 5, 7.5 and 10 ton/fed), mineral NPK, effective microorganisms (E.M.), vit. E, vit. B1, E.M. + vit. E. and E.M. + vit. B1 on the growth and productivity (fruits and essential oil) of coriander plants. The obtained data revealed that vegetative growth characters (plant height, stem diameter and herb dry weight/plant), yield components (number of umbels/plant, fruit yield/plant and /fed) and all studied oil production (oil %, oil yield/plant and /fed) were significantly increased due to the application of all levels of compost over those of control treatments. The maximum values were recorded at the high level of compost (10 ton/fed). Vegetative growth characters, fruit yield and essential oil productivity parameters were significantly augmented as a result of using the different six treatments. The most effective treatments in this concern were mineral NPK (full dose) followed by E.M. + vit. E without significant difference between such superior treatments.  While, E.M. plus either vit. E or vit. B1 gave the highest essential oil %. Moreover, E.M. + vit. E followed by NPK (full dose) recorded the highest essential oil yield/plant and /fed. It could be recommended to supply Coriandrum sativum plants with compost at 10 ton/fed in combination with E.M. + vit. E. to alternative to compost (10 ton/fed) with mineral NPK (full dose) to ensure the safety, not only for human but also for the environment in which we live.