To investigate the effect of vermicompost, N fertilizer and their integration on growth, biological and Essential yields oil and its components in two populations (Varamin and Isfahan), an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the field of Isfahan Medicinal Plants Research Center in 2016. Fertilizer treatments including 100% urea, vermicompost 33.3 and urea 66.6%, vermicompost 66.6 and urea 33.3%, 100% vermicompost and control treatment (without fertilizer) as the first factor and Varamin and Isfahan populations as the second factor were selected. The results showed that the interaction effects of nitrogen fertilizer and populations on all studied traits were significant. In both populations, nitrogen fertilizer improved height, biological and Essential oil yields, content of Essential oil compounds (d-Carvone and its yield, α-phellandrene and linalool; except p-Cymene and Limonene in Isfahan population). Since in medicinal plants, the quantity (biological yield) and quality (Essential oil and d-Carvone; the most important ingredient and the highest amount of Essential oil in this experiment), 66.6% vermicompost + 33.3% urea in Varamin population, was the best treatment in the experiment. In addition an in the direction of human health and sustainable agriculture, it is possible to reduce 33% of chemical fertilizers application and pollution; however, in terms of other Essential oil contents (α-phellandrene, Linalool and p-Cymene), 100% vermicompost fertilizer treatment was superior in Isfahan population.

Henbane has a high medicinal value due to the presence of hyoscyamine and scopolamine alkaloids. Improving the quality and quantity of henbane alkaloids using modern breeding methods requires evaluating the genetic diversity. The genetic diversity of henbane has been investigated using morphological, biochemical and molecular markers in several studies and the superiority of molecular markers over other markers has been proven. To this end, in 2018, the genetic diversity of 96 henbane genotypes collected from the habitats of northwest Iran was investigated using IRAP and REMAP molecular markers. For IRAP markers, out of 36 possible combinations obtained from eight LTR primers, seven combinations had a fine and scalable amplification. In the REMAP technique, the combination of 11 ISSR primers with eight LTR primers was used, and 12 combinations could be scored out of 88 possible combinations. The average amount of polymorphic information for IRAP and REMAP markers was 0. 30 and 0. 32, respectively, and the average marker index for these two markers was estimated as 2. 59 and 2. 47. Based on these criteria, REMAP marker was more efficient than IRAP in estimating the genetic diversity of henbane. In the analysis of molecular variance using IRAP and REMAP markers, intra-population variability was estimated to be higher than inter-population, which indicates the high diversity of these populations in northwestern Iran. Cluster analysis based on IRAP marker failed to separate species and populations, but REMAP marker was able to separate H. pusillus and H. reticulatus species to a high degree. A high shannon index in this research suggests that IRAP and REMAP retrotransposon markers resulted in a high genetic diversity within henbane populations with a high insertion in the genome of henbane populations.

Thymus daenensis Celak, Thymus kotschyanus Boiss. & Hohen., Thymus transcaspicus Klokov and Thymus vulgaris L. are aromatic and medicinal species which due to hybridization within species and between species has high morphological diversity. A study was carried out in order to evaluate yield and yield components in 10 ecotypes of Thymus species collected from Isfahan, Markazi, Qazvin and West Azerbaijan provinces. This experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with three replications at Research Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Education of Razavi Khorasan province. Plant height, shoot yield, 1000-seed weight, Essential oils (EO) content, EO yield, number of nodes per stem, internode length and days to flowering stage were measured in all ecotypes. T. vulgaris was considered as the control. The results of analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences (p≤0.05) for days to 50 % flowering, number of nodes, internode length, plant height, stem weight, seed weight, EO content and yield among species and ecotypes within Thymus species. The highest EO content and yield among species were observed by 2.45% and 1.28 g/plant in T. vulgaris, and 2.03% and 0.84 g/plant in T.daenensis, respectively. The highest EO content was observed among ecotypes at 1.84% in T.kotschyanus, ecotype K54 and 2.32% in T.daenensis, ecotype D49. The strong and significant (P ≤ 0.01) positive correlation of EO yield was observed with EO content (r=0.88**), seed weight per plant (r=0.78**), plant height (r=0.70*), shoot yield (r=0.80**) and internode length (r=0.89**). In the principal component analysis in thyme species and ecotypes, the eigenvalues obtained from the first three main components, explain 53%, 15%, 11%, and a total of 80% of the total variance of the variables. It was concluded that the ecotypes of D49 and D72, in T.daenensis having higher EO yield were recommended for breeding improved varieties.

In order to study the Essential oil precent and Essential oil yield of basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) changes affected by nitrogen, magnesium and manganese amounts, this experiment carried out in spring and summer 2008 in Islamic Azad University takestan branch research farm. The experimental design was split factorial in the basis of randomized complete blocks design with 3 replications. The experimental factors included nintrogen application in 4 levels 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg /ha as main factor and magnesium and manganese foliar application in 2 levels 0 and 1.2 kg/ha in the form factorial design as subfactor. Simple effect of factors showed that, 150 Kg/ha nitrogen application with %0.32 and 41.98 Kg/ha, 1.2 Kg/ha magnesium foliar application with %0.39 and 52.67 Kg/ha and 1.2 Kg/ha manganese spraying with % 0.36 and 47.06 Kg/ha produced maximum amounts of Essential oil precent and Essential oil yield in basil. Highest Essential oil precent (%0.51) and Essential oil yield (72.6 Kg/ha) of basil gained in 150 kg/ha and 1.2 kg/ha. Tripple interaction effect indicated that, 150 Kg/ha nitrogen soil application and 1.2 Kg/ha magnesium and manganese foliar application caused highest Essential oil precent (%0.55) and Essential oil yield (79.70 Kg/ha) alternatively.

In order to investigate the effects of water deficit and nitrogen fertilizers on peppermint’s Essential oil yield and its compounds, the current experiment was conducted in Research Field of Tarbiat Modares University in 2018, based on split with three replications. The experimental treatments consisted of three irrigation regimes (respectively after depleting 25, 40 and 55% of available water in root growth zone) as the main factor and six fertilizer treatments based on nitrogen requirement as sub-factors. The results showed that the highest Essential oil yield was obtained under normal irrigation conditions with urea, while severe water deficit stress caused a reduction of 44% in dry matter and Essential oil yield. In this study, 36 compounds were identified in Essential oil. The most important components of Essential oil were menthol, menthon, menthofuran, piperitone and menthol acetate. Water deficit increased the quality of Essential oil (increased menthol and menthon and decreased menthofuran and polygon). In this regard, the use of nitrogen fertilizer increased both the quality and yield of Essential oil. In general, it can be concluded that moderate water deficit accompanied with nitrogen fertilizer (urea alone or in combination with vermicompost) might increase the quality of peppermint’s Essential oil. Increasing Essential oil quality caused by water deficit, reduced quantitative Essential oil yield.