EFFECT OF PUTRESCINE AND ATONIK ON GROWTH AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS ASSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF CHAMOMILE PLANT (Chamomilla recutita L., Rausch.)

The experiments were conducted during two growing seasons, 2002-2003
and 2003-2004 at experimental Farm area of National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo.
Egypt to study the effect of putrescine in absence and presence of atonik on
chamomile plant.
Putrescine in absence or presence atonik significantly enhanced each of the
following characters: Plant height, number of branches, shoot fresh and dry
weights/plant during vegetative and flowering stages as well as flower head
characters (flower number, fresh and dry weights of flowers/plant) during flowering
stage. The combined treatment of putrescine at 25 mg/I and atonik at 60 mI/I gave the
highest fresh weight of plant during vegetative stage as well as putrescine 50 mg/I
during flowering stage. The highest values of flower heads (flower number, fresh and
dry weights/plant) were obtained at atonik 120 mill. Nitrogenous compounds (total N
and crude protein) of chamomile leaves significantly increased with putrescine
concentration (50 mg/i). While, atonik cQncentration (120 mI/I) gave the highest
contents of free amino acids, phenols as well as indoles. The combined treatment of
putrescine 100 mg/i and atonik 120 mI/I gave the highest essential oil percentage of
flower head. Regarding essential oil yield/plant, atonik at 120 mI/I proved to be more
effective in this respect. The essential oil percentage and yield per plant of the first
collection were higher than the second collection.
The major components of chamomile essential oil which were identified by
gas chromatography were farnesene, bisabolol oxide ¡3, a-bisabolol, Chamazulene
and bisabolol oxide A. However the percentage of essential oil constituents were
concentration dependent.