The effect of late sowing date and plant density on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Canola (RGS-003) in Gorgan

To investigate the effect of late sowing date and plant density on canola (RGS-003 cultivar) an experiment was conducted in the research station of Gorgan in growing season of 2005-6. The experiment was a factorial design arranged in a randomized compelet block design with four replications. Four sowing date (13 Nov, 21 Nov, 6 Dec and 21 Dec) and with three densities (80, 100, 120 plant/m2) were randomized to plots. Yield and yield components were negatively affected by late planting date significantly as the number of pods per plant, grain per pods and 1000 grain weight were reduced. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics such as oil yield, biological yield and the harvest index were decreased significantly. Yield and the number of pods per plant decreased by density significantly. Also the density affected biological yield significantly as increasing of density resulted in significant decreasing of biological yield. Planting date and density affected grain yield and biological yield significantly, as the highest grain and biological yield of sowing dates of 13 Nov, 21 Nov and 6 Dec belonged to density of 80 plants/m2 and fourth sowing date belonged to density¬ 120 plants/m2.