Background & aim: The essential oil of CHAMOMILE (Matricaria chamomilla L.) and feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) are frequently used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the essential oils of CHAMOMILE and CHAMOMILE and feverfew.Methods: This experimental study was conducted in 2012 at Hamedan University of Medical Sciences. Essential oils of two medicinal plants species including CHAMOMILE and feverfew were obtained by hydrodistillation; their constituents were analyzed by GC and GC/MS using retention indices and fragmentation patterns. The antimicrobial effects (MIC and MBC) of the essential oils were assessed on a number of microorganisms including gram positive and gram negative bacteria by microdilution technique. The interaction of plant essential oils against microorganisms through differential inhibition index was also evaluated. Data were analyzed by Duncan's multiple range test statistic Results: The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the oils were 0.22-4 and 0.09-1 mg/mlfor CHAMOMILE and feverfew respectively. Moreover, the combination of the plants essential oils confirmed synergistic against L. monocytogenes, B. subtilis and B. cereus and additive activities against S. aureus, E. coli and S. typhimorium.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the application of these essential oils is recommended in combination as an efficients and complementary method for controlling microorganisms.

CHAMOMILE (Matricaria chamomilla L. ) is a medicinal herb belonging to Asteraceae family. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of trifluralin on the induction of polyploidy in CHAMOMILE. Two independent full factorial experiments on seedlings and 2-leaf stage apical buds were performed. Following morphological, biochemical and cytogenetic analysis, chromosome numbers of 18 and 36 were detected for diploid and tetraploid types, respectively. Morphological and biochemical examinations revealed that an increase in the number of full chromosome set results in a reduction in stomata number per unit area as well as an increase in stomata size, chloroplast number, and chlorophyll content. Induction of ploidy level increments also reduced plant height and increased the number of lateral branches, leaf size, and diameters of stems, flowers and receptacles. It is concluded that a concentration of 22. 5 μ M trifluralin in both methods is optimum for the production of tetraploid CHAMOMILE with the highest rate of polyploidy induction and the lowest percentage of abnormality.

To study the effects of drought stress and foliar application of nano iron chelated on photosynthetic pigments, yield and yield component of thirteen genotypes of CHAMOMILE, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Greenhouse of Zabol University in 2014. The experimental treatments were: drought stress at 2 levels (control or irrigation at 90% of field capacity and irrigation at 70% of field capacity), foliar application of nano iron chelate at 2 levels (control and 2 mg/l) and 13 genotypes of CHAMOMILE consisting at: Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Kerman, Arak, Ardestan, Gachsaran, Nain, Khozestan, Safashahr, Kazeroon, Germany and Hungary. The results showed that besides the main effects of stress×genotype, the genotype×nano iron chelated and stress×nano iron chelated interactions and the triple effects were also became significant. Mean comparisons showed that the condition of genotypes at any level of stress and nano iron chelated had different trends. Using nano iron chelated in drought stress decreased chlorophyll a in Shiraz, Khozestan, Nain, Hungary and Germany genotypes, decreased chlorophyll b in genotypes of Isfahan, Kazeroon, Ardestan, Khozestan, Nain and Germany, decreased total chlorophyll in genotypes of Isfahan, Shiraz, Ardestan, Khozestan, Nain, Hungary and Germany and decreased anthocyanin content in Isfahan, Shiraz, Safashahr, Kazeroon, Khozestan and Germany genotypes. Using nano iron chelated in drought stress also caused a decrease in flower yield of Mashhad, Arak and Nain and a decrease per plant yield of Isfahan, Mashhad, Arak, Safashahr, Khozestan and Nain genotypes. The highest per plant yield (0.665 g.) belonged to Kerman genotype, were achieved through non-stress and use of nano iron chelate treatments and the lowest per plant yield (0.164 g.) to Arak genotype through the stress and non-spray treatments. Totally the interaction of CHAMOMILE genotypes to drought stress were different. Among the genotypes under study the Shiraz genotype were more resistant to stress compared to others. The effects of application of nano iron chelated were different depending on the genotype and for most of the genotypes it increased the photosynthetic pigment contents and yield components of CHAMOMILE. This shows the effectiveness of low rate application of nano iron chelate.

CHAMOMILE is a native plant in Europe and is famous due to use as a culinary and medicinal. In order to evaluation of agronomic traits and their relationship in different CHAMOMILE landraces, 20 landraces collected from different areas of Iran and five European cultivars were planted in an augmented design in Fozveh Station of Isfahan Agriculture Research Center. Several phonological and morphological characteristics were measured. Results showed that flower yield per plant, number of flower per plant and essential oil content had maximum coefficient of variation (CV) and phonological traits, number of ligulate florets, flower diameter and flower height had minimum coefficient of variation (CV). Correlation coefficient of flower yield per plant with yield components e.g. number of flower per plant (0.95**) and number of flowering branches (0.73**) was positive and high. Results of step-wise regression for flower yield per plant showed that number of flower per plant, 100 flower dry weight and number of flowering branches were entered to the model, respectively (R2=0.98). Factor analysis showed that 80.06 percent of data variations were determined by six independent factors. Genetic diversity was considerable among landraces especially for flower yield per plant and yield components.

CHAMOMILE (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants in Iran. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of organic nutrients on the yield and oil content of CHAMOMILE. The experiment was conducted in the spring of 2010. The treatment groups consisted of vermicompost (0,5,10,15 and 20 tons/ha) and the Aminol Forte sprays (no spraying or control, at the flowering stage and at budding stage). The experimental design was a factorial experiment based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The present results showed that the highest flower head diameter, flower yield and essential oil content were obtained when 20 ton/ha vermicompost was used. Effects of Aminol Forte were similar to those seen in vermicompost treatment and all measured traits were seen to be significant after the Aminol Forte spray at flowering stage.