evaluation of yield and agronomic traits of cumin (cuminum cyminum l.) ecotypes in different sowing dates at kerman region

in order to study the effects of different sowing dates on yield potential of cumin ecotypes and to appoint the best sowing dates of cumin at kerman, the present experiment was performed base on rcbd with split plot arrangement and 3 replications during growing season of 2011-2012. different sowing dates (25th december, 9th january, 24th january, 8th february and 23th february) as main plot, and different cumin ecotypes (semnan, fars, yazd, golestan, khorasan razavi, khorasan shomali, khorasan jonoubi, isfahan and kerman) were used as sub plot. effects of sowing dates were significant on all traits except number of umbel per plant. most of the measured characteristics such as 1000-seed weight, biological, seed and straw yields and harvest index were significant among the different ecotypes. the interaction effects of sowing dates and different ecotypes were also significant on all traits except 1000-seed weight. change in rank interaction was seen for some of the traits. according to the results, kerman ecotype in 23rd february showed significantly the best performance in yield than other ecotypes, so considering to better response of kerman ecotype to kerman region, further scientific study for introducing to the farmers can be recommended in south east of iran.