Effect of irrigation systems and soil conditioners on the growth and essential oil composition of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Cultivated in Egypt

A relevant improvement of the cultivar conditions of Rosmarinus officinalis L. in desert areas was achieved by a specific combination between an irrigation system and soil conditioner. A drastic reduction in water employment was obtained without affecting the quality of the plants, which was determined by monitoring the growth parameters and essential oil characteristics. In particular, the effect of surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems and different soil conditioners on the growth parameters, yield, and essential oil constituents of rosemary plants was assessed. Field experiments at the Agricultural Research Station (Al-Adlya farm), SEKEM Group Company, El-Sharkiya Governorate, Egypt, conducted over the two seasons, revealed the effectiveness of subsurface irrigation systems in obtaining better performances, especially in terms of saving water. The combination of subsurface irrigation and the conditioner HUNDZ soil with bentonite showed the maximum mean values of growth characteristics compared with other soil amendments during both seasons. The possibility to employ a water-saving irrigation system at the subsurface level without any drawback in the resulting plants was also explored in terms of molecular composition. Gas chromatography-mass (GC-MS) analysis of the essential oils extracted from plants grown under different irrigation conditions revealed a comparable composition in both cases. The quality of the system that showed the best performance was also confirmed by the comparable yield of the essential oil.