ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Plant Density Differentially Influences Seed Weight
in Different Portions of the Raceme of Castor
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State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Submission date: 2022-11-25
Final revision date: 2022-12-27
Acceptance date: 2023-01-18
Online publication date: 2023-05-10
Publication date: 2023-06-23
Corresponding author
Ahmad Azeem
Xinjiang institute of ecology and geography, Chinese Academy of sciences, China, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(4):3247-3254
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ABSTRACT
Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed crop, that is cultivated in arid and semi-arid region.
Seed yield per plant of castor significantly effective by different environmental factors, but planting
density also influence on seed yield. A field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to investigate
the effects of in-row plant spacing (30, 40, 50 and 60 cm) on seed yield and weight in different
portions of the raceme under drip irrigation along with mulching. The results indicating reduction
in-row spacing, significantly reduced seed yield and weight per plant. Reduction percentage were greater
in secondary and tertiary racemes as compared to primary racemes. Seed weight and yield in basal
portion of raceme was also decreased by reducing in-row spacing. In comparison to raceme portion,
seed weight was more reduced in the middle portion and showed no change in the upper portion of the
raceme as compared to basal portion. Seed yield and weight per unit area was increased owing to the
larger plant population with decreasing in-row spacing, but below the threshold value of in-row spacing
(30 cm), seed fresh weight yield were decreased. Therefore, it was concluded, higher planting density
by reducing the in-row spacing may increase castor fresh weight yield. Yield may be increased further
by increasing the seed weight in the basal portion of the raceme, especially for primary racemes, while
maintaining the seed weight in the upper and middle portions of the raceme. Further studies needed
to explore different planting density effect on seed yield under different environmental factors within
different portions of raceme.