The Effect of Planting Seasons on Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.)

Concerns related to the rise of disposition to the application of the medicinal plants throughout the world have gone up on their cultivation and production processes. In order to study the effect of planting seasons on morphological traits, yield, oil content and oil composition of black cumin, an experiment was conducted under field condition in Mashhad, Iran in 2012-2013 as a randomized complete block design with two treatments and three replications. The treatments were included spring (April 2013) and autumn November 2012) planting dates. During growth seasons, the phonological stages in both autumn and spring were recorded. The results showed that the species could be planted well in spring and autumn. Also, results showed that with the delay in sowing from spring to autumn, plant height, branch number per plant, plant dry weight, LAI, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, seed number per plant, seed weight, and seed yield and oil content significantly decreased. Major constituents of fatty oil were determined as linoleic, palmitic and oleic acid. Spring sowing dates and maximum change was seen in linoleic acid from 55.71% in autumn to 55.5% in spring. Growth periods from sowing to fruiting stage were 187 and 103 days in autumn and spring sowing date, respectively.