Biotech Studies 1994, Vol 3, Num, 1-2     (Pages: 073-080)

EFFECT OF SOWING DATE AND PLANT DENSITY ON SEED YIELD OF COMMON NIGELLA (Nigella sativa L.)

Neşet ARSLAN

1 Ank. Üniv. Zir. Fak. Tarla Bitkileri Bl. ANKARA - Common nigella (Nigella sativa L.) as a member of Ranunculaceae, is a perennial plant and its seeds are used as a spice in the Middle East, India and Africa. Common nigella is barely cultivated in Turkey. In order to fınd out a suitable sowing date and plant density for common nigella. two separate trials were conducted. In sowing date trials, sowings were carried out on 5 March, 16 March, 30 March and 25 April with a seeding rate of 5 kg/ha. The highest seed yield was obtained with 634 kg/ha from sowing date of 30 March. Harvest index, number of plants per square meter and thousand-seed weight were reduced in early and late sowing dates. The optimum sowing date appeared to be between 15 March and 15 April in arid conditionş. In plant density trials, sowing was carried out at interrow spacing of 15 or 30 cm with seeding rates of 1.5, 3, 4.5 dr 6 kg/ha. Although there was no clear effect of different row spacing and seeding rates, better result were obtained at inter-row spacing of 15 cm than 30 cm and seeding rate of 1.5 kg/ha than others. Keywords : Common nigella; Nigella sativa L.; Ranunculaceae; sowing date; plant density