Productivity and Pest Resistance of Black Cumin in Response to Organic and Chemical Fertilizers

The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of organic fertilizers as land application under NPK levels on black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) growth, chemical components, productivity, susceptibility to pest's infestation and harboring natural enemies during 2016 / 2017 and 2017 / 2018 seasons. The results cleared that, the tested fertilizers were influenced target parameters of N. sativa plants significantly. The high means of plant height, root length, branches, roots and inflorescences numbers, fresh weight of plant (with and without fruit), fruit, root and 100 seeds; chemical components of, N, P, K, Carbohydrates, Volatile oil and Fixed oil; Also, the high values of Lauric, Myristi, Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic, Linolenic and Eicosadienoic fatty acids were recorded for plants received humic acid and/or Nitrobeen under the level of 75 % NPK. The results of pests infested N. sativa plants revealed highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) between its mean numbers due to variation in rates and types of fertilizers. The lowest mean numbers of dominant pests were recorded for E. decipiens, A. gossypii, B. tabaci and T. tabaci, N.viridula , O. hyalinipenni and H. armigera on N. sativa plants received same previous treatments. Also, the mean numbers of inspected pests were correlated significantly with plant height and branches number. According to these results, mineral fertilizers could be managed with bio and organic fertilizers for producing good yield and tolerant black cumin plants to pest's infestation to avoid bad side effects of agrochemicals with the aim to get safe foods