Seed Oil Content and Nutrient Uptake of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) in Response to Sowing Time and Row Spacing at Mahendergarh, Haryana

Abstract

The present study was conducted at the experimental farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Mahendergarh, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, during the 2024–25 Rabi season to study the effects of sowing time and row spacing on the seed oil content, nutrient content and nutrient uptake of Indian mustard. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, comprising four sowing dates (25 September, 5 October, 15 October and 25 October) in the main plots and three row spacings (30, 45 and 60 cm) in the subplots, with RH-1424 as the test variety. Among the sowing dates, 15 October recorded the highest oil content (40.7%); N content in seed and stover (3.32% and 0.47%, respectively); P content in seed and stover (0.53% and 0.35%, respectively); and K content in seed and stover (1.07% and 1.67%, respectively), although the differences in N, P and K content among sowing dates were statistically non-significant. Sowing on 15 October also recorded the highest N, P and K uptake in seed (72.11, 11.51 and 23.24 kg ha⁻¹, respectively) and stover (30.13, 22.44 and 107.08 kg ha⁻¹, respectively), with values significantly higher than those for the other sowing dates. Among the row spacings, 45 cm recorded the highest oil content (40.2%) and N, P and K content in seed and stover, as well as the highest N, P and K uptake in seed (65.59, 10.46 and 20.72 kg ha⁻¹, respectively) and stover (27.01, 18.60 and 96.04 kg ha⁻¹, respectively). Nutrient uptake at 45 cm was significantly higher than that at 30 and 60 cm, whereas the differences in oil content and nutrient content among row spacings were largely non-significant. The findings indicate that sowing on 15 October and using a row spacing of 45 cm, considered as individual treatment effects, favoured seed oil content and nutrient uptake under the semi-arid conditions of Mahendergarh, Haryana.