A two year experiment was conducted at Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, S.K.R AU, Bikaner during rabi of 2006-07 and 2007-08 to find out the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on quality parameters of dill (Anethum sowa). The soil of the experimental field was loamy sand in nature with pH 8.36 and 0.14 per cent organic carbon content. The experiment was laid out in factorial RBD design with 4 replications, assigning 20 combinations of 5 levels of nitrogen (control, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg N ha-1) and 4 levels of phosphorus (control, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1). The dill variety NRCSS-AD-2 was sown, maintaining 30 x 15 cm plant spacing. The nitrogen application upto 120 kg ha-1 significantly increased the protein content, whereas, oil content and volatile oil was recorded with 60 kg N ha-1. Significant increase in protein content was observed upto 40 kg P2O5 ha-1. The chlorophyll content at flowering stage was found to increase significantly under 90 kg N ha-1 which was at par with 120 kg N ha-1 and chlorophyll content enhanced significantly by the application of 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 over control and 20 kg P2O5 ha-1.under study during both seasons and pooled analysis.
Nitrogen content in seed and straw increased significantly upto 120 kg N ha-1. Potassium content in seed and straw significantly increased upto 20 kg P2O5 ha-1 and phosphorus content in seed and straw significantly increased upto 60 kg P2O5 ha-1.
The increasing levels of nitrogen upto 90 kg ha-1 significantly increased the dry matter weight at 45, 75, 105 DAS. Dry matter weight at 45, 75, 105 DAS and harvest was significantly increased upto application of 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 during both the years and pooled basis. Dill seed should be fertilized @ 90 kg N ha-1 and 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 for obtaining better and profitable seed yield and protein content