Response of Caraway Yield to Plant Distance and Nitrogen Fertilization Treatments

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experiment and Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 seasons to study the effect of plant distance and nitrogen fertilization on the yield of caraway (Carum carvi L.). Plant distance treatments were 20, 40 and 60 cm. Nitrogen fertilization treatments were 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 45 kg N/feddan. The results indicated that the maximum values for plant height were obtained when the distance was 20 cm between the plants, while for the number of branches/plant, the number of umbels/plant, fruit weight/plant (gm), fruit yield/plot (gm), fruit yield/feddan (kg), 1000 seeds weight (gm), oil% and oil yield/feddan (L) the maximum values were obtained when the distance was 60 cm between the plants. Also, the results indicated that the maximum values for plant height, number of branches/plant, number of umbels/plant, fruit weight/plant (gm), fruit yield/plot (gm), fruit yield/feddan (kg), weight of 1000 seeds (gm), oil% and oil yield/feddan (L) were obtained with applying 40 kg of nitrogen/feddan. Interaction between plant distance and nitrogen fertilization resulted in the maximum values of fruit yield/feddan with the distance of 40 cm between plants and applying 40 kg nitrogen/feddan.