Determination of optimum transplanting time for chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.)

Performance of Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) was evaluated on twelve transplanting dates that were arranged at 30 days interval; during 2013-2014 on experimental field of Wondo Genet agricultural research center; using RCBD design with three replications. Transplanting time exerted a very highly significant (p< 0.0001) influence on plant height, flower yield and essential oil yield; essential oil content was significantly (P< 0.05) influenced by transplanting time. The performance of chamomile and the amount of rainfall received on the first month of transplanting showed significant (< 0.05) positive relationship with regression coefficient of (0.16). The amount of heat units received during the entire growth periods didn’t showed significant relationship with the performance of chamomile. The highest and lowest flower yield was obtained from July and December transplanted chamomile respectively. Fresh flower yield varied from 0.8 t/ha to 3.84 t/ha; and the essential oil yield varied from 1.19 kg/ha to 5.56 kg/ha due to the influence of transplanting time. Transplanting chamomile during dry hot season resulted in up to 79 percent flower yield reduction as compared to wet and cool season transplanted chamomile. Chamomile showed high sensitivity to the absence of rainfall associated with higher heat units during the first month of establishments on the field. According to the results transplanting chamomile during moist and cool months is highly recommended in order to obtain maximum flower and oil yield.