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Since chemical fertilizers pollute soil, water and crops, conscientious agricultural producers seek alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Biological fertilizers are considered a reliable alternative for improving soil productivity and plant growth in sustainable agriculture. The response of some agrobiological and antioxidant properties of Syrian cephalaria (Cephalaria syriaca L.) to different fertilizer sources was explored in an experiment which included: (i) mycorrhiza + manure; (ii) mycorrhiza + vermicompost; (iii) mycorrhiza + Azotobacter; (iv) mycorrhiza + chemical fertilizer; (v) mycorrhiza; and (vi) control. The results showed that the highest seed yield, biological yield, oil percentage yield, were observed in plants treated with mycorrhiza + vermicompost, whereas the highest 1000-seed weight was obtained from the application of mycorrhiza + manure. With respect to photosynthesizing pigments, the application of mycorrhiza + vermicompost increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content as well as total phenols, total flavonoids and DPPH antioxidant activity as compared to control (unfertilized) plants. The mixed application of different fertilizer sources influenced the uptake of trace elements (Fe, Zn and Cu) optimally. In the light of the obtained results for the agrobiological and antioxidant properties of Syrian cephalaria, in most of the measured traits, there is no significant difference between manure, vermicompost and chemical fertilizers in combination with mycorrhiza. Hence the use of organic and biological inputs instead of chemical fertilizer for improving crop efficiency and quality with the aim of alleviating pollution and accomplishing sustainable agriculture is highly encouraging.

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Medicinal plant production is most important than other agricultural plants due to their phytochemical compounds effects on human health. Paying attention to plant nutrition requirement is so important. In order to assess the effect of nitrate (NO 3 −) dosage supplies from two types of fertilizers on growth and phytochemical properties of Echinacea purpurea rhizomata cum radicibus, an experiment with completely simple design was carried out under greenhouse conditions. two types of fertilizers (new invented nitrogen (N) slow release fertilizer and urea chemical fertilizer) at three dosages (50, 100, and 150 mM) were applied. Plant growth parameters and total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), polysaccarides content, essential oil content, caffeic acid derivatives, and anti-radical scavenging activities of E. purpurea were assessed. The results showed the significant (p ≤ 0.01) differences among treatments, both in growth and phytochemical properties. Using of n slow release, especially in 150 mM dosage, significantly increased all the plant growth and phytochemical properties. The dried E. purpurea rhizomata cum radicibus contained more caftaric acid (max 12.56 mg g −1 DW) and chicoric acid (max 7.56 mg g −1 DW) than other derivatives. Despite the impact of heavy metals on yield and growth of E. purpurea, the concentration of all heavy metals and micronutrients (boron (B), cadmium (cd), copper (cu), iron (fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (ni), lead (pb), and zinc (Zn)) in studied soil and fertilizer samples was less than United States environmental protection Agency (USepA) limits of contamination. Based on the results, using of n slow release fertilizers can improve phytochemical properties of the plant due to its polymeric structure and can be a suitable substitution of chemical fertilizers, especially in medicinal plants growth. Many of researchers are pay attention to herbal and medicinal plants as natural remedies due to their bioactive compounds recently 1,2. Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is one of the most important medical plants of Asteraceae family with various pharmacological effects 3. The major three species of Echinacea are known as Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, and Echinacea pallida. E. purpurea is native to much of the United States and its morphological properties are also known as purple coneflower with orange and cone-shaped flowering head that change to purple, rose, or white petals during June to September 4. It has a narrow leaves and three feet height stem with dark, thick and pungent rhizomata cum radicibus 5. In the environment, E. purpurea grows randomically along water canals with low densities for affective harvest for commercial purposes 6. Comparing of other Echinacea species, E. purpurea is the most able species to adjust to new conditions. It is resistance to heat or cold weather conditions, easy to grow, and flaunt high efficiency 7,8. Numerous scientific

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Nigella sativa L. is a medicinal plant with extensive, nutritional, pharmaceutical, and health applications. Nowadays, reducing the application of chemical fertilizers (synthetic fertilizers) is one of the main goals of sustainable agriculture to allow the production of safe crops. Therefore, the combined effect of urea and biofertilizers was studied on the quantitative and qualitative traits of N. sativa L. in a randomized complete block design with 10 treatments and three replications. The treatments included control (no fertilization), U (100% chemical fertilizer as urea at 53.3 kg ha−1, Nb (Biofertilizer, Azotobacter vinelandii), Pb (Biofertilizer, Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas putida), Kb (Biofertilizer, Bacillus spp.), NPKb (NPK, biofertilizer), Nb + 50% U, Pb + 50% U, Kb + 50%U and NPKb + 50% U. The NPK(b) + U50% was related to the highest quantity of plant height, branch diameter, capsule (follicle) number per plant, auxiliary branches, seed yield per plant, thousand-seed weight, essential oil content, total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content, DPPH free radical scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, chain-breaking activity, phosphorus content, and potassium content, along with U for the highest biological yield and (Pb) + U50% for the highest essential oil percentage which is close to (NPKb) + U50%. The lowest value was observed in all traits related to the control treatment except for branch diameter that was related to (NPKb). Hence, the application of (NPKb) + U50% as bio-chemical fertilizers improved N. sativa L. Traits, so it can be recommended.

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