الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present work was carried out in the Nursery and Laboratory of Floriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University during the two successive seasons of 2009 / 20 I 0 and 2010 / 2011 to investigate the effect of compost and natural safety substances on vegetative growth traits, essential oil yield and chemical composition of peppermint (Mentha piperita, L) plants. In this regard, two factors were examined, the first factor (A) was compost applied at 0, 10, 15 and 20 t. / fed., while the second factor (B) was ascorbic acid, salicylic acid, a - tocopherol each at two concentrations, 100 and 200 ppm and collectively of the three previous natural substances at 100 ppm or 200 ppm each one, as well as, control treatment. Also, the interaction between main plot and sub plot (A x B) was tested.
1. Effect of compost on :
I.A. Vegetative growth traits :
All vegetative growth traits of peppermint plants, namely, plant height, number of branches / plant / cut, number of leaves / plant / cut, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of herbs / plant / cut and / plant / season, as well as, / fed. / season significantly promoted by fertilizing peppermint plants with compost at 10, 15 and 20 t. / fed. compared with unfertilized control plants. The increment in vegetative growth aspects was parallel with the gradual increase in compost level, therefore, the high level of compost (20 t. / fed.) was the most effective treatment.
I.B. Essential oil productivity:
Essential oil determinations namely, oil % in the fresh herb / plant / cut, oil yield / plant / cut and / plant / season (m! / plant) and per feddan / season (liter / fed.) of peppermint plants were significantly increased by the three levels of compost compared with control. The most effective treatment, which gave the greatest oil (oil % and oil yield / plant and / fed.) was the high level of compost (20 1. / fed.).
I.C. Chemical compositions:
Suppiement of compost at three levels (l0, 15 and 20 t. / fed.) led to significant increment in the contents of chlorophyll a, band carotenoids in comparison with the control treatment in the three cuts in the two seasons. The highest contents of chlorophyll a, band carotenoids were recorded due to the application of high level (20 t. / fed.).
Treating peppermint plants with compost at different levels (low, medium and high) led to significant increases in the percentages ofN, P and K in the dried herbs of plants in the two seasons compared with control. The highest percent of each element was found in the herb of plants treated with compost at 20 t. / fed.
2. Effect of natural safety substances treatments on :
2.A. Vegetative growth traits:
All vegetative growth traits (plant height, number of branches and leaves / plant / cut, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of herbs / plant / cut and / plant / season, as well as, per fed. / season) were greatly and significantly increased due to use of all treatments (AsA at 100 and 200 ppm, SaA at 100 and 200 ppm, a - toco. at 100 and 200 ppm, AsA + SaA + a - toco. each at 100 and 200 ppm) than the control treatment in the
plants was treatments
was signi toco” eac