Response of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) to Different Spacing and Nitrogen on Growth and Yield in New Alluvial Soil of West Bengal

Among the different seed spices Black Cumin is an important minor seed spices grown in West Bengal as well as in India and abroad. Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) commonly called ‘Kalongi ’belongs to the family Ranunculaceae, is represented by spices of Mediterranean-Western Asia origin. The present experiment was undertaken during the rabi (winter) season for two consecutive years i.e., 2015–16 and 2016–17 at the Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, The field was laid out in randomised block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. N2S3 shows better performance in all growth parameter like plant height (42.76 cm at 90DAS and 50.63 cm in 105DAS), number of branches (6.66 and 7.30 number primary branches at 90 DAS and 105 DAS, 10.80 and 16.13 number secondary branches at 90 DAS and 105 DAS). But in number leaves better performance was recorded in N2S2 and N1S3 treatment with 63.70 and 68.90 number leaves in 90 DAS and 105 DAS respectively. With respect to time of flowering and fruiting, N1S1 shows early performance (with 67.63 DAS in Initiation of Flowering, 74.16 DAS in 50 per cent Flowering, 89.20 DAS in Initiation of Fruit Set and 121.20 DAS in Fruit Maturity). Although in case of yield attributing parameters and yield, N2S3 treatment combination showed better performance like plant height at harvest (50.63cm), total plant weight (14.10gm), pods/plant (15.86), total pod weight (5.73gm), number of seeds/pod (96.93), breadth of pod (0.83cm), yield/ha (1.74ton), yield/m2(17.50gm). From this experiment it can be concluded that N2S3 treatment combination with 50Kg nitrogen/ha and 25x20cm2 spacing is best for Alluvial plains for Black Cumin seed production.