The Effect of Agricultural Practices on Growth and Yield of Black Mahlab ( Monechma ciliatum )

Field trial was initiated to investigate the effect of sowing date and plant spacing on growth and yield of Black mahlab (Monechma ciliatum) so as to determine the optimum sowing date and appropriate plant spacing under the prevailing environmental conditions of Khartoum State. The field experiment involved a factorial combination of 4 plant spacing 10, 20, 30 and 40cm) with three sowing date. Data collected for vegetative growth included the number of days to 50% emergence, plant height, number of leaves, and number of branches per plant, fresh and dry weight per plant. Data for reproductive growth included number of days to 50% flowering, number of fruits per plant, weight of 1000 seeds and seed yield per feddan. All data were statistically analyzed. Results indicated that emergence (days to 50%) in the first sowing date (Autumn) was earlier than the second sowing date (Winter) and the third sowing date (Summer), and days to 50% flowering were less in late than early sowing dates. Also vegetative growth and seed yield were affected by sowing date and plant spacing. Autumn sowing gave higher values among plant spacing compared with Winter and Summer. Plant spacing had significant effect on vegetative as well as seed yield. Values were higher with wider than closer plant spacing i.e. plant at 40×40cm gave the highest values followed by 30×30cm, 20×20cm and 10×10cm. Seed oil content was affected by early sowing date. Higher values were associated with Autumn compared with Winter and Summer.