Origanum marjorana L. has been valued for centuries for its flavoring attributes and therapeutic properties. The growing demand for its various applications necessitates optimizing agronomic practices for its production. A glasshouse pot trial was conducted to identify optimum agronomic practices for increased herbage and oil yield, as well as oil quality. The effects of varying air temperature regimes (low, medium, and high levels), irrigation (low, medium, and high levels), nitrogen fertilizer application (N = 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha), and soil type (sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and loamy sand) on the productivity of marjoram plants were investigated. The results showed an increase in plant growth and herbage yield as well as chlorophyll content under conditions of high air temperature, low irrigation, and moderate to high nitrogen level applied to sandy loam soil, with an increase in oil yield with loamy sand soil. The major compounds observed in marjoram essential oil were terpinene-4-ol (22.63-36.72%) and (Z)-β-terpineol (6.85-16.60%), in which terpinene-4-ol was not found to be within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) limits of acceptability while (Z)-β- terpineol had no reference limits available. A promising performance of marjoram cultivation under high regimes of air temperature (16.7 to 36.6 °C), nitrogen fertilization (200 kg ha-1 N), and low irrigation (up to 60% soil water depletion from field capacity) on sandy loam soils was demonstrated for improved crop productivity.
Keywords: Lamiaceae; Origanum marjorana; air temperature; essential oil; herbage yield; irrigation; nitrogen fertilization; soil type.