Effect of water stress on yield, and oil content of Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.)

Hiba Sobh
General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research ،Administration of Natural Resourses
Faculty of Agriculture,Damascus University, 
2017

Abstract

The research was carried out at Abu-Jarash Farm, (Faculty of Agriculture –  Damascus University ) during  the season  2015–2016  to determine the water  requirement of Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.). And then study the effect of  water  stress ( through the application of several levels of deficit irrigation ) in the productivity of  Black cumin quantitative and qualitative to determine the crop response to drought conditions.
Four irrigation  treatments (100%, – 80%, – 70%, – 60%) of  full irrigation were  applied  in four  replications  by  using  full  random  sectors.
The Evapotransoiration crop and crop coefficient were calculated. Yield, water  use efficiency, Crop response  coefficient for deficit  irrigation, oil ratio in seeds, and  some indicators ( length of  growth, date of  flowering, height of plant, weight of 1000 seeds) were studied.
The Evapotransoiration crop was determined by 3947 m3/ h. The values of  the  crop  coefficient  were  determined  by  stages  of   growth  with  the following values: (0.4, 0.62, 1.17, 0.77).
Deficit  irrigation has decreased the studied  indicators ( length of growth, date of  flowering, height of plant, weight of 1000 seeds, oil ratio in seeds, productivity) with significant differences in the treatments 70 % and 60% compared  to the  complete  irrigation  treatment, and  without  significant differences in treatment 80% Compared to treatment 100%.
Treatment 80%of the full irrigation was superior with the highest value of water use efficiency (0.25 kg / m3) compared to other treatment,  Without a significant  reduction  in productivity  compared to the  savings in water consumption. The  treatment  also recorded  the  best  value ( 0.23 ) of the crop  response coefficient for deficit irrigation, indicating  that the plant is well tolerated in water stress conditions.

Keywords: water stress, productivity, Black cumin, water use efficiency, deficit irrigation.

GCSAR