No abstract

Two field trials were conducted during 1998 / 1999 and 1999 / 2000 at El-Gimiza Research Station Farm, to study the effect of sowing method (at one side of the ridge or both sides of the ridge), two planting distances (20 or 30 cm) and some micronutrients (mixture of Zn , Mn and Fe) as seed coating or foliar spray on the growth, fruit and oil yield and essential oil constituents of Carum carvi L. The data showed that the vegetative growth and fruit yield/plant significantly increased with sowing plants at one side of the ridge and wide space of 30 cm, each alone. Where the fruit and oil yield / fed, significantly increased by sowing plants at both sides of the ridge and narrow space of 20 cm, each alone. Essential oil percentage was not affected by sowing method or spacing. The micronutrients (Mixture of Zn, Mn and Fe) increased the growth, fruit and oil yield and essential oil percentage, but seed coating exerts more beneficial effects compared to folair method. The interaction between sowing methods and spacing significantly increased vegetative growth and fruit and oil yield / fed. Carvon was the major constituent of the essential oil forming more than 75%, carvon and limonene slightly decreased by micronutrients application. The best treatment for fruit (seed) and oil yield was that of coating seed with a mixture of Zn, Mn and Fe and spacing it at 20 cm in both sides of the ridge.

A field experiment was conducted at Kaha Farm of the Horticulture Research Institute, at Kalubia Governorate, Egypt during the two successive seasons of 2008and 2009. Seeds of basil were coated with cotongen (seed coating agent) was prepared by dissolving 800g of cotongen in 1liter water which containing iron, manganese and zinc as chelated compounds plus agricultural sulfur, potassin-P (a foliar plant nutrient containing potassium K2O 30% and phosphorus P2O5 8%) used with rates of 1.5, 3 and 4.5 ml/liter and the feddan. the treatment with cotongen and the different levels of potassium sources gave a positive effect on growth characters (plant height), number of branches, fresh and dry weights plant-1 , fresh herb yield fed-1 and volatile oil percentage and its component in comparison with other treatments, the data also revealed that, treating plants with cotongen and potassin-p (4.5 ml/l.) showed a significant effect on growth and volatile oil.