Mineral nutrition of chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) K.

In field and pot experiments, we studied the effect of different nutrients (N,P, K, S, Ca and Mg) on the qualitative and quantitative characters of th e Bulgarian cultivar Lazur from chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) K). In the pot experiments, the optimal ratio between the macronutrients in the nutrient solution for achieving best quantitative results in chamomile cv Lazur was N:P:K = 40:28:32%, while the optimal ratio between the other elem ents was K:Ca:Mg = 40:38:22%; Nitrogen and potassium increased the yields, while phosphorus increased the essential oil content. Calcium was also foun d to be important for high yields and dry matter content in the herba. Sulf ur and phosphorus increased inflorescence weight and essential oil content in them. In field experiments the highest yields of inflorescence and oil were achie ved when the ratio between the major nutrients N:P:K was 1:1:1 (in 120 kg/h a active ingredients). Differences in the nutrient regimes induced some alterations in the essenti al oil quality. The (-)-alpha- bisabolol content was increased by elevated phosphorus levels, while higher content of magnesium in the solution sharpl y decreased its content. Hamazulene content in the oil was found to be a re latively more stable characteristic and was not affected greatly by variati on of the tested nutrients in the solution.