VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF THE ROSEMARY PLANTS DEVELOPMENT WHEN CULTIVATED UNDER COLORED SCREENS

Rosemary is an exotic plant and the interest in its cultivation has been growing along the years, because it can be used for medicinal or aromatic ends used in popular medicine, however the agricultural knowledge about the species is quite limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and the content and yield of the essential oil of rosemary plant when grown under fabric screens with different spectral characteristics. Plants were grown in pots distributed in a completely randomized design with six replicates, under structures individually covered in red and blue fabric, with 50% shade and full sunlight (0%). Four months later, we assessed both growth characteristics: main branch height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area, dry matter of leaves, stems and roots and physiological indices: leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf weight ratio (LWR) content and yield of the essential oil. Rosemary plants grown under full sun and blu net produced higher dry leaf biomass and higher essential oil content and yield The full sun environment influenced the growth, biomass production and the variables LA, SLA, LAR and LWR in rosemary plants in comparison to plants grown under colored fabric screens. Plants under shading conditions showed higher leaf and stem dry mass. However, it is concluded that high intensity significantly alter the distribution of partitioned dr237y mass and that the use of different fabric screens did not affect the physiological characteristics of rosemary plants, regardless its color.