Effect of Cutting Treatment on Seed Yield and Seed Quality of Dill

Abstract

Dill, Anethum graveolens L., is grown in various regions of the world. It has been used as vegetable and medicinal plant since ancient times. Seed quality is important in dill cultivation and there is limited information on the effects of cutting treatment in this species. This research was carried out to find out the effect of cutting treatment on phenological traits, seed yield and quality of dill at Ege University, Izmir, during 2016-2018. The experiments were carried out in the randomized complete block design with three replications, comprising of cutting treatment for both spring and autumn seeding period. Significant differences were noted in the flowering period, seed yield and quality attributes with cutting treatment for both seeding period. The obtained results showed that the days from sowing to bolting initiation were increased with cutting treatment from 51 days to 65 days in spring seeding period and from 153 days to 184 days in autumn seeding period. The plant height, number of umbels per plant, seed weight per plant were lower in the cut plants in comparison to that of uncut plants for both seeding period. The uncut plants has produced significantly higher plant height (113 cm-spring seeding period; 133 cm-autumn seeding period), number of umbels/plant (8.4-spring seeding period; 10.1-autumn seeding period) and seed weight/plant (6.4 g-spring seeding period; 10.9 g-autumn seeding period). The cutting treatment decreased germination percentage by 9.27% in the spring seeding period and by 12.13% in the autumn seeding period compared to the control plant seeds. Lower mean germination time at 20/30°C (3.77 days-spring seeding period; 4.54 days-autumn seeding period) were also observed in uncut plants. Thus, it was concluded that cutting is not recommended in the vegetative stage in dill seed production as it provided lower seed yield and seed quality for both autumn and spring seed planting periods.