J.Agric.&Env.Sci.Alex.Univ.,Egypt Vol.5 (2)2006 33 RESPONSE OF GROWTH, FLOWERING, OIL YIELD AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MATRICARIA CHAMOMILLA L. PLANTS TO SOME MICRONUTRIENT FOLIAR APPLICATIONS *MAHMOUD A. HASSANAIN, *EBTSAM M. ABDELLA AND **MOSTAFA M. RADY *Hort. Dept., Fac. Agric., Fayoum, Cairo Univ., Egypt. **Botany Dept., Fac. Agric., Fayoum, Cairo Univ., Egypt. ABSTRACT The present work was carried out in the Experimental area, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University in two successive seasons; 2004/2005and 2005/2006. This work aimed to investigate the effect of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) as a foliar spray on some growth and floral traits, oil yield and some chemical constituents of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) plants. Significant influences of micronutrient treatments in single (Fe, Zn and Mn), double (Fe+Zn, Fe+Mn and Zn+Mn) and/or triple (Fe+Zn+Mn) combinations were observed on all studied parameters during the two growing seasons. Spraying plants with micronutrients in all applied treatments increased growth characters (fresh and dry weights of herb plant -1 , percentage of dry weight of herb plant -1 and number of branches on main stem plant -1 ), floral traits (number of flowers plant -1 and fresh and dry weights of flowers plant -1 ) and determined chemical constituents [concentrations of chlorophylls (a & b), carotenoids and total free amino acids in fresh herb, percentages of N, P, K, total carbohydrates and protein, and concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Zn in dry matter of herb]. The triple combination treatment was appeared to be the super since, it recorded the best results. In view of the obtained results, growth, flowering and chemical composition especially, oil content of chamomile plants could be improved by the foliar application of Fe, Zn and Mn in triple combination at the rate of 2% for each.