Indian Journal of Agronomy

A field experiment was carried out during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2013–14 and 2014–15 at Ludhiana, Punjab, to study the effect of nitrogen and spacing on N uptake, oil yield, protein yield and oil quality of shortstatured, determinate genotypes of Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun). The experiment was conducted in 3 replications in a split-plot design with combination of 3 genotypes (‘BJC 13-1’, ‘BJC 13-2’, ‘BJC 13-3’) and 4 spacings (25 cm × 15 cm, 30 cm × 10 cm, 30 cm × 15 cm, 45 cm × 10 cm) in main plots and 2 doses of N (100 and 125 kg/ha) in subplots. Pooled mean data of two years revealed that different genotypes registered similar seed and stover yields, N content in seed, N uptake in seed, stover as well as total, protein content and oil and protein yields. Genotypes also did not differ in fatty acid composition of oil except oleic acid, eicosenoic acid and erucic acid which were higher in ‘BJC 13-1’ compared to ‘BJC13-3’. The highest seed and stover yields were obtained with 25 cm × 15 cm spacing. Spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm resulted in significantly more N and protein content in seed and stover, N uptake by stover and total N uptake. Effect of spacing on oil content and yield and oil quality was non-significant. Application of 125 kg/ha of N resulted in significantly more N content in seed and stover, N uptake by seed, stover and total, oil yield, protein content, protein yield and improved oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and decreased proportion of erucic acid in oil as compared to 100 kg/ha of N.