JOURNAL OF FOOD AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT, cilt.6, sa.2, ss.242-246, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
The study reports effects of winter and spring sowings and 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg ha(-1) triple super phosphate (P) application on yield, yield components and fatty acid composition of black cumin during 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 at Diyarbakir, Turkey. The fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were extracted from the reaction vials with hexane. The GC (gas chromatography) analysis was carried out by means of a Varian 3400 apparatus equipped with Supelcowax-10 fused silica capillary column. The results showed that vegetative growth period was the major and meteorological conditions and P doses were the minor factors controlling yield components; such that winter sowing resulted in maximum seed yield (1037 to 1534 kg ha-1), fatty oil content (30.2 to 37.9%) and essential oil content (0.31 to 0.56%). Major constituents of fatty oil were determined as linoleic, palmitic and oleic acid. The percentage of linoleic acid was determined between 43.34 and 51.50%.