CHAMOMILE PRODUCTION IN SLOVENIA

The production of chamomile in Slovenia has developed in Savinia Valley on farms HMEZAD AGRICULTURE. It is specialized in hop production. Hop is growing in form of monoculture on large and small places. The monoculture of hop is not good for soil fertility. Between two generations of hops and on arable soil where maize and wheat are cultivated now we try to include other plants for production of secondary methabolites to ameliorate the soil and to increase the economy of agriculture e. g. using hop drying - houses and less manual work.

The first step in research work with chamomile in this region was done in year 1964 in small scale as spring sowing at Institute for Hop Research in Zalec. The production on big acreage began in year 1988 and is still lasting. In table 1 the acreage, quantity and yield in kg/ha in form of dry flowers are presented. The acreage and yield remain almost the same in all years and could be increased.

Year	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992
Acreage - ha	41,5	21,1	28,0	28,5	26,5
Quantity kg	8411	12287	10524	9934	14925
Yield kg/ha	203	582	376	349	563

Table 1: Acreage and Yield of chamomile

The production of chamomile has developed on heavy clay soil and also on light sandy soil, where the hop gardens are spread. The sandy soil is better for chamomile but there is only one third of all chamomile acreage. The heavy, wet soil influences the non equal development of plant and formation of more vegetative parts.