International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087
Vol. 6, Issue 3, Jun 2016, 301-304
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

EFFECTS OF FYM, BIOFERTILISERS AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON YIELD

AND NUTRIENTS UPTAKE OF EUROPEAN DILL (ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS L.)
GURPREET SINGH1 & SOBARAN SINGH2
1
2

PAU- Farm advisory service scheme, Patiala, India

Department of Soil Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India

ABSTRACT
Integrated use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures can help to sustain higher crop yields and enhance
the quality of produce. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nutrient application through different
sources on the yield and nutrient uptake of dill. The application of N 80+ P 60+ K40 along with farmyard manure (FYM)
10 t ha-1 and biofertilizers (Azotobacter + Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria) was found to be superior treatment. This
treatment produced higher dill oil yield. Oil content of seed did not vary significantly with different sources of nutrition.
KEY WORDS: European Dill, Oil Content, Nutrients Uptake, Azotobacter, Phosphorus Solubilizing bacteria, FYM

INTRODUCTION
European dill (Anethum graveolens L.) commonly known as sowa in India is an annual, glabrous and
aromatic herb belonging to the family Umbelliferae (Apiaceae).The dill fruit is a schizocarp with paired carpel that
split apart at maturity to release two mericarps, commonly referred as seed ( Callan et al., 2007). Oil is contained
in parallel canals running the length of the fruits (Bouwmeester et al., 1998).

Original Article

Received: Apr 30, 2016; Accepted: May 17, 2016; Published: May 21, 2016; Paper Id.: IJASRJUN2016037

Dill stems and blossom heads are

used for dill pickles and for flavoring the soaps (Singh et at, 1987). The emulsion of dill oil in water is considered to
be carminative, anti-flatulent, anti-colic pain, anti-vomiting and hiccups of infants and children (Randhawa and
Singh, 1988). European dill has a good demand in the India and recently it has also developed a great potential for
export in the international market (Randhawa et. al., 1987). The average seed yield and quality of European dill oil
in India is poor as compared with the European countries (Ativeer, 1995). This is mainly because of lack of
improved technology in the production of dill in India.
Nutrient supply plays an important role in dill production. Under intensive cultivation, indiscriminate use
of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers alone over long period could result in deficiency of nutrients other than that
applied (Singh et al, 1999). Farmyard manure improves the soil properties and finally crop yields (Bhatia and
Shukla, 1982). Results generated from series of long -term fertilizer experiments on other cropping systems have
revealed that continuous use of high analysis chemical fertilizers increased the crop yield in initial years and
adversely affect the sustainability at the later stage (Virmani, 1994). Ram and Sharma (2002) reported that
combined application of rhizobium and phosphorus solublizing bacteria significantly enhanced the yield of
fenugreek . The crop response to inoculation with biofertilizers is known to vary with crop, cultivar, location,
seasons, bacterial strain, level of soil fertility and interaction with native soil micro flora (Wani, 1990). At present
very limited information is available in the literature on the effect of integrated nutrient management using chemical

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Gurpreet Singh & Sobaran Singh

fertilizers, organic manures and biofertilizers on yield of dill in India. Field study was therefore conducted to study the
effect of farmyard manure, biofertlizers and inorganic fertilizers on yield and nutrients uptake of European dill

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Field experiment was conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar
(Uttarakhand) India. The site represents the Tarai belt of Uttarakhand in the foothills of Shivalik range of Himalayas.
Pantnagar is situated at 29N latitude, 79.50E longitude and at an altitude of 243.8 m above the mean sea level.
The climate of Pantnagar is humid subtropical. The average mean monthly maximum and minimum air temperatures
during the cropping season varied from 17.3 to 37.3 0C and 6.3 to 23.5 0C respectively .The total rainfall during the
cropping season was 206.3 cm.The soil of the experiment site was a Typic Hapludoll, clay loam with pH 7.80, cation
exchange capacity 19.7 c mol kg-1, organic carbon 8.5 g kg-1, 0.5 M NaHCO3 extractable P 21.8 kg ha-1, and 1 M
ammonium acetate extractable K 201.5 kg ha-1. The experiment consisting of 5 treatments was laid out in a RBD with three
replications. The details of these treatments are given in Table 1. Nitrogen, P and K were applied as urea, single super
phosphate and murate of potash, respectively. Lignite-based culture (2 kg ha-1) of Azotobacter (Azotobacter chroococcum)
and Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus megatherium) were used as biofertilizer. FYM ha-1 having composition 0.52
%N, 0.76 % P and 0.57 % K, was applied on dry weight basis. FYM was incorporated in plots at 7 days before sowing.
Dill was sown in second week of November in rows 40 cm apart to a depth of 5 to 6 cm using a hand drawn plough. Whole
of P and K was drilled at sowing. N as per treatment was applied in two equal splits; one- half broadcast at seeding and
one- half one month later (1-2 day after irrigation). Umbels from net crop area (3 x 2.4 m2) were picked in first week of
May and dried at 50 oC temperature. After proper drying the umbels were threshed manually. Thereafter, the seeds were
cleaned, weighed and stored for extraction of essential oil and for the determination of N, P and K contents. Standard
methods of soil and plant analysis were used.
Hydro distillation method was used for obtaining essential oil from seeds. Distillation process was continued for 4
to 5 hours for each sample (Ativeer, 1995). The essential oil content was calculated by using following formula:

This was expressed in percent on volume by weight basis.

Oil yield (l/ha) obtained from dill seed at harvest was calculated as follow:
Oil yield (l/ha) = A x B
Where, A = seed yield (q/ha)
B = oil content (% volume / weight basis)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Application of N 80+ P 60+ K40 (T2) significantly increased the seed

and straw yield of dill by 51.4 % and

49.1% over control (T1); respectively (Table 2). Application of N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB (T3)
increased the seed and straw yield by 19.6 % and 18.6 % over N 80+ P 60+ K40 (T2) respectively. Randhawa et al. (1987)
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.7987

NAAS Rating: 3.53

Effects of FYM, Biofertilisers and Inorganic Fertilizers on Yield and

Nutrients Uptake of European Dill (Anethum Graveolens L.)

obtained a maximum seed yield of dill at 90 kg N ha- 1.

303

The beneficial effects of integrated use of FYM with

recommended dose of NPK and biofertilizers on seed yield might be attributed to improved soil physical conditions along
with increased availability of nutrients during the crop growth period. The N2 fixation by Azotobacter is markedly reduced
when high level of N exists in soil (Rout et al., 2001). However, Behl et. al., (2003) reported the positive impact of
Azotobacter on wheat. Application of 30 t FYM ha

-1

along with biofertilizers gave 37.4 % less yield of dill seed

compared with that of N 80+ P 60+ K40 (T2). These data suggested that organic manures alone cannot exploit high yield
of dill. The limited effects of FYM and biofertilizers (T4 and T5) on dill yield could be due to time of release of nutrients
by FYM not matching with crop need.
At maturity oil content of the seed varied from 1.8 to 2.0 % (data not shown), but the differences were not
significant among different treatments, suggesting that oil content did not respond to the application of higher doses of
fertilizers. Randhawa et al. (1987) have reported that oil content of seed of dill decreased with the increase in nitrogen
level. The oil yield (Table 2) being a function of seed yield and oil content varied significantly among the treatments.
The maximum oil yield was obtained under N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB (T3) . The oil yield in
N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB (T3)treatment was 64 % and 37.8% more than control (T1) and N 80+ P 60+
K40 (T2) respectively.
Uptake of nutrients increased significantly by the application of N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB
(T3). Lowest uptake of N, P and K were obtained under control treatment. Wever, Bali et. al. (1992) reported highest N
uptake in dill at 90 kg N ha -1.

CONCLUSIONS
It may be concluded from the present study that bioresources , i.e. FYM, Azotobacter and PSB in combination of
fertilizers, produced highest and significant increase over recommended dose of fertilizers on yield and nutrient uptake of
European dill .However, when above bioresources were used by adjusting expected nutrient contribution by them with
recommended dose produce significant decrease in the most of the characters under study. The above trend clearly
indicates that alone bioresources did not contribute expected nutrients to fulfill the level of recommenced dose for
European dill. The recommended dose (80: 60: 40) seems to be suboptimal in the present study.
REFERENCES
1.

Ativeer.(1995). Studies on the effect of row spacing and nitrogen levels in European dill (Anethum graveolens Linn.). M.Sc.Ag.
(Horti.) thesis submitted to G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.

2.

Bali, A.S.; Sidhu, B.S. and Randhawa, G.S. (1992). Effect of row spacing and nitrogen uptake, content and quality of dill
(Anethum graveolens.) oil. Ind. J. Agron. 37(3), 633-634.

3.

Behl,R.K.,Sharma, H.,Kumar, V. and Narula,N.(2003). Interaction amongst Mycorrhiza, Azotobacter chroococcum and root
characteristics of wheat varieties .J.Agron.Crop Sci.189:151-155.

4.

Bhatia, K.S. and Shukla, K.K. (1982). Effect of continuous application of fertilizer and manure on some physical properties of
eroded alluvial soils. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 30 (1): 33-36.

5.

Bouwmeester, H.J., Gershenzon, J., Konings, M., Croteau, R. (1998). Biosynthesis of the monoterpenes limonene and carvone
in the fruit of caraway, I: Demonstration of enzyme activity and their chances with development. Plant Physiol.117: 901-912.

6.

Callan, N.W., Johanson, L.D.,Westcott, P.M. and Welty, E.L. (2007). Herb and oil composition of dill (Anethum graveolens

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Gurpreet Singh & Sobaran Singh

L.) : Effect on crop maturity and plant density. Ind. Crop Prod., 282-287.
7.

Ram Sukh Jot and Sharma, O.P. (2002). Effect of fertility levels and biofertilizers on growth yield and quality of fenugreek
(Trigonella foenumgraecum). Acta Ecologica, 22(1): 56-61.

8.

Randhawa, G.S. and Singh, A. 1988. Effect of agronomic practices on growth yield and nutrient uptake of dill (Anethum
graveolens). Indian Perfume 32: 327-333.

9.

Randhawa, G.S.; Singh, A. and Mahey, R.K. 1987. Optimizing agronomic requirement for seed yield and quality of dill
(Anethum graveolens L.) oil. Acta Horticulturae, 208: 61-68.

10. Rout, D., Satapathy,M.R. and Mahapatra, B.K.(2001) Effect of biofertilizers on nitrogen economy in maize. Madras
Agricultural Journal 88:530-532.
11. Singh, A., Randhawa, G.S and Mahey, R.K. (1987). Oil content and yield of Dill (Anethium graveolens L)) herb under some
agronomic practices. Acta Horticulture 208: 51-60.
12. Singh, N. P., Sachan, R. S., Panday, P. C. and Bisht, P. S. (1999).Effect of a decade long fertilizer and manure application on
soil fertility and productivity of rice wheat system on a Mollisol. J. Ind. Soc. Soil Sci 47: 72-80.
13. Virmani, S. M. (1994).UNCED agenda 21: The new challenges for soils research. J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci. 42: 516-524.
14. Wani, S. P., and Lee, K. K. (1992) Role of bio-fertilizers in upland crop production. In: Fertilizers, organic manures,
recyclable wastes and bio-fertilizers (H.L.S. Tandon, Ed., PP 91-112. FDCO, New Delhi, India.

APPENDICES
Table 1: Details of Experimental Treatments
Treatment Symbol

Control
N 80+ P 60+ K40
N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t
FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB
N40+P30+K30+10t
FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB
FYM 30t ha-1 +
Azo+PSB

N
( kg ha -1)
0
80
80

Fertilizers and FYM Addition

P 2O 5
K 2O
( kg ha -1)
( kg ha -1)
0
0
60
40
60
40

FYM
( t ha -1)
0
0
10.0

Seed Treatment
Azotobacter
PSB
No
No
Yes

No
No
Yes

40

30

30

10.0

Yes

Yes

30.0

Yes

Yes

Table 2: Dill Seed Yield, Straw Yield, Oil Yield and Nutrients Uptake as affected by Various Treatments
Treatments
Control
N 80+ P 60+ K40
N 80+ P 60+ K40+ 10t
FYM ha-1+Azo+PSB
N40+P30+K30+10tFYMha1+Azo+PSB
FYM 30t ha-1 + Azo+PSB
CD (5%)

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.7987

Seed Yield
(q/ha)

Straw Yield
(q/ha)

Oil Yield
(l/ha)

5.11
10.52
13.56

15.13
29.65
39.37

9.57
19.6
27.0

Total Nutrients
Uptake(kg/ha)
N
P
K
18.7
6.00
39.6
44.4
14.9
98.4
63.4
22.5
144.3

6.73
6.59
2.22

24.87
24.12
3.90

12.2
12.1
4.34

32.8
31.2
6.03

10.9
10.1
3.22

83.9
81.5
15.2

NAAS Rating: 3.53