Effect of nitrogen doses and row-to-row spacing on quality of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) seed

Abstract

The demand for fennel is increasing at an alarming rate due to its medicinal and aromatic properties. A high-quality seed is necessary to increase productivity and output. Therefore, research was executed throughout the Rabi season of 2021-22 to estimate the impact of diverse nitrogen doses and row-to-row spacings on the quality of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) seed. The experimental material consists of four diverse nitrogen levels (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg ha-1), three different row-to-row spacing (30 x 20 cm, 45 x 20 cm and 60 x 20 cm) and fennel variety Hisar Fennel-143. The seed quality parameters i.e., 1000 seed weight, percentage of standard seed germination, length of germinated seedling, dry weight of germinated seedling, vigour indices and electrical conductivity of fennel were recorded using completely randomized design with three replications of all treatments. The experimental outcomes discovered that the maximum value of the above-studied quality parameters was recorded with the application of 75 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare with row-to-row 60 cm and plant-to-plant 20 cm spacing. It was statistically at par with 50 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare with spacing of row-to-row 45 cm and plant-to-plant 20 cm spacing except for electrical conductivity. Minimum value of electrical conductivity (desired value) was noticed at 50 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare with row-to-row spacing of 45 cm and plant-to-plant spacing of 20 cm.