Physical Properties and Germination Characteristics of Black Carrot Seeds of Kırıkhan Local Cultivar in Ereğli District of Konya Province

Abstract

Black carrot production is an important agricultural activity for local farmers of Ereğli and Karapınar districts of Konya province. About 20% of the black carrots produced are used in turnip industry and 80% is used in concentrate production. The color value of black carrots of Kırıkhan local cultivar is higher than that of black carrots of Ereğli cultivar. Therefore, concentrate companies prefer the local cultivar of Kırıkhan in Ereğli and Karapınar Districts of Konya. In this study, some physical properties of black carrot seeds of local population of Kırıkhan cultivar were determined and seeds were sown at three different on-row seed spacings (2.5, 5 and 7.5 cm). Sowing was performed on ridges in three narrow rows as to have 7.5 cm between the rows and at a forward speed of 0.64 m s^-1. Average length values of the classified bare and coated black carrot seeds were respectively determined as 3.52 and
4.02 mm, geometric mean diameter values as 1.65 and 2.31 mm, sphericity values as 47.49 and 58.73%, thousand-seed weights as 2.20 and 6.67 g, germination rate values as 82.50 and 76.30%. Fracture resistance value of the coated seeds was measured as 4.89 Nmm^-2, water dissolution time as 18.48 s and one-seed ratio in coating as 96%. In field trials conducted at different sowing distances, average germination time of classified bare seeds and coated seeds were repectively determined as 9.40 and 9.18 days, germination rate index values as 1.688 and 1.547 [plant (m day)^-1] and the field emergence rate values as 54.15 and 52.39%.