Effect of Organic Fertilizer Levels and Harvest Dates on Growth and Accumulation of Effective Compounds Morning and Evening in Datura plant (Datura stamonium L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the fields of field crops research station/Agriculture college-Tikrit University during the summer season of 2013 in order to study the effect of organic matter ,date and duration of picking in growth characters and the amount of some of medicine effective compounds in Datura leaves (Datura stramonium L). The experiment included three levels of organic matter( 0, 4, and 8 tonne.donum-1 with three levels of duration of picking the vegetative parts( 40, 80 and 120 days) from sowing until picking time. The experiment was layout as factorial according to randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replicates. The accumulation of effective compounds in leaves during morning and evening were measured The level 8 ton.donum-1 of organic matter was superior in all growth characters: plant height (145.90 cm), number of branches (22.42 branch.plant-1), leaf area (36751 cm2.plant-1) plant dry weight (607.4 gm.plant-1) chlorophylls average (chl. A, chl. B and total chlorophyll(18.56, 11.72 and 30.28 mg.cm-2) respectively and the percentages of N, P and K( 1.84, 0.60 and 1.71%) respectively.The duration picking (120 day from sowing) was significantly superior in all growth characters: plant height (164.52 cm), number of branches (26.39 branch.plant-1) leaf area (33115 cm2.plant-1), and the percentages of N, P and K were (1.59, 0.49 and 1.44%) respectively. The two way interaction (8 ton.donum-1 X 120 days from sowing until picking time) was significantly superior over all other two-way interactions in all growth characters and the effect was consistent with the effect of individual factors in all growth characters. HPLC techninege results showed superiority in the interaction (8 tonne.donum-1 X 120 days from sowing until picking time) in morning and evening times, however it gave highest amount of diagnosed total alkaloids in Datura leaves (Atropine, Scopolamine and Hyoscyamine)which were( 356.48, 369.24 mg.L-1,) while plants without addition of organic matter (control) and were picked after 40 days from sowing date least amount( 165.91 and 152.79 mg.L-1 )for both times Morning and evening .