Effects of habitat and planting date on seed yield of Pimpinella affinis Ledeb.

The current study was performed to evaluate the effect of planting date and locality of seed on seed yield of Pimpinella affinis Ledeb. The experiment design was factorial done using a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Treatments included locations from where seeds were collected (Khojir, Noshahr and Chalous Road areas) and planting dates (November 6th, December 6th and April 9th in 2006 and 2007). The experiment was performed in Alborz farm research complex located in Karaj. The results of variance analysis of the experiment in 2006 showed that the effect of planting date on seed yield was not significant while the effect of locality and interaction effect between planting date and locality was statistically significant at 1% significance level. Means comparison of treatments showed no significant differences between the yield seed of planting dates of November 6th and December 6th, while December cultivation's yield seed was higher (64.467 Kg/ha). The effect of locality on yield seed was significant as yield seed of Khojir locality (175.1 Kg/ha) was more than that of Chalous and Noshahr localities. Interaction effects between locality and planting date on yield seed were statistically significant at 5% significance level. Yield seed of December cultivation from Khojir locality (191.4 Kg/ha) was the highest amount. The results of variation analysis in 2007 showed that the effects of planting date, locality and their interaction on seed yield were significant at 1% significance level. Means comparison of treatments showed no significant differences between the yield seed of planting dates of November 6th and December 6th, but they had significant difference with April cultivation, while November cultivation's yield seed was higher (218.9 Kg/ha). The effect of locality on yield seed was significant as yield seed of Khojir locality (281.9 Kg/ha) was more than that of Noshahr locality. Interaction effects between locality and planting date on yield seed were significant as yield seed of November and December cultivations from Khojir locality (404.6 and 397.9 Kg/ha) was the highest amount. According to the results of cultivation for two years it can be concluded that autumn cultivation had more yield seed and biological function than that of spring cultivation due to having long growth period. In addition, seeds collected from Khojir locality had the highest yield seed and biological function among three studied localities.