Sensitivity of zero erucic acid genotypes of oleiferous brassicas to plant population and planting geometry

A field experiment was conducted during winter seasons of 1997–98 and 1998–99 at New Delhi, to study the sensitivity of 2 zero erucic acid genotypes of brassicas [‘TERI (OE) R 15’ and ‘TERI (OE) M 21’] and 1 normal genotype ‘(Bio 902’ as check) to planting geometries and plant population (20 cm x 10 cm, 20 cm x 15 cm, 30 cm x 10 cm, 30 cm x 15 cm, 45 cm x 10 cm and 45 cm x 15 cm). The genotype ‘TERI (OE) R 15’ of Brassica napus ssp. oleifera var. annua produced maximum branches/plant (8.7), siliquae/plant (285), siliqua length (4.6 cm), seeds/siliqua (18), harvest index (24.5%) and oil content (42.0%). However, ‘Bio 902’ of Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. & Cosson recorded statistically more 1,000-seed weight, seed weight/plant and biological, seed and oil yields than TERI (OE) R 15’ and ‘TERI (OE) M 21’ of Brassica juncea. On an average, seed and oil yield of ‘Bio 902’ was 20.2% and 8.60% higher than ‘TERI (OE) R 15’ and 31.7% and 53.5% higher than ‘TERI (OE) M 21’ respectively. Planting geometry of 30 cm x 10 cm which corresponds to 33 plants/m² recorded significantly the highest seed (16.7 q/ha) and oil (6.2 q/ha) yields and harvest index (24.8%) over same plant density obtained with 20 cm x 15 cm and rest of planting geometries except 30 cm x 15 cm. Genotypes interacted significantly with planting geometries. Optimum plant population for ‘TERI (OE) M 15’ was 33 plants/m², 22 to 33 plants for ‘TERI (OE) M 21’ and 15 to 33 plants/m² for ‘Bio 902’.