EFFECT OF SALICYLIC ACID ON SOME VEGETATIVE AND FRUITING CHARACTERISITICS OF (NIGGELLA SATIVA L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was Conducted at the Field trials of the Department of Field Crop Science, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad during the growing Season 2010-2011, to investigate the possibility of improving the growth and Seed Yeild aspects of Nigella sativa L. Plant by using the Plant growth regulator Salicylic acid (SA) with the Consentrations (50, 100, or 200) mg. Liter-1 in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replicates. The results showed that both high concentration (100 and 200) mg. Liter-1 significantlly increase the plant hight by 9% over control plant. All SA concentrations significantally increased the leaf dry weight by 43, 24 and 22%, and Total dry weight by 27, 13, and 8% respectively. However, the lowest concentration on (SA50) followed by (SA100) increased the number of branchs-plant-1, Chlorophyll content of leaves at 75% flowering, Chlorophyll content of leaves at 75% Physiological maturity and Seed yield-plant-1 by 25, 6, 12, 6, 24, 7, 29 and 21% respectively. While the highest concentration (SA200) decreased the above mentioned Characters by 0.63, 7, 6 and 21% respectively. By contrast, the percentage of constant oil was increased by all SA concentrations, i.e. 23, 6 and 20% for SA50, SA100 and SA200, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that the low SA50 concentration was the best in increasing the Plant growth aspects and, hence, Seed yield and constant oil percentage.