THE INFLUENCE OF BASIC METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS AND SEEDING DENSITY ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF FENUGREEK SEED ( Trigonella foenum graecum L . )

Results of two-year investigations (2000 and 2001) on the influence of seeding method and basic meteorological elements (precipitation and temperature) on yield and quality of fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) are presented in this paper. Considerably higher yield of fenugreek seed in all variations was obtained in the second study year, which was probably caused by more favorable precipitation during vegetation period. Average temperature during vegetation period was similar in both study years, therefore it could not have influenced significantly the differences in yield and quality of seed. The highest seed yield was achieved in both study years in case of seeding method with 50 cm distance between seeding rows and 10 cm distance between plants in a row. Reduction of the distance below 50 cm caused more significant decrease of seed yield compared to the condition when the distance was increased. Similar results were obtained by R a jč ić and Jo ck o v ić (1990) in soybean, L u g ić et al. (1996) in red clover and S l o wi n sk y et al. (1996) in alfalfa production to be used as seed raised on vegetation areas of different surfaces. The conclusion was that raising plants in higher density caused considerable decrease of seed yield. Fenugreek seed produced in the year 2000 had lower absolute mass, but better germination energy, as well as total germination, compared to the second study year despite better conditions of natural moisterizing. Concerning variations of distance between seed rows in both study years, fenugreek seed obtained from 50 x 10 cm variation had best quality traits.


I n t r o d u c t i o n
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum gracum L.) is annual herbaceous plant from the Fabaceae family.It is greatly used for medicinal purposes and cosmetics.Also, vegetative biomass of fenugreek can be used for livestock nutrition, and in veterinary medicine for drugs production.
In our climatic conditions, fenugreek is not a part of spontaneous flora but is exclusively raised.It must be pointed out that issue of fenugreek production technology has not been investigated enough in Yugoslavia.On the other hand, this issue hes been investigated to a higher extent in the world, however, the results were scarce.
The aim of our research was to investigate the effect of various seeding methods as well as effect of temperature conditions and precipitation during vegetation period on yield and quality of fenugreek seed in conditions of natural moisturizing.

Material and Methods
The trial was designed on production locations of the Institute for Medicinal Plant Research "Dr Josif Pančić" in Pančevo, on marsh dark fertile soil type.The investigations lasted two years, in 2000 and 2001.The following five treatments of different distances between seed rows with permanent distance between plants in a row were investigated: 30 x 10 cm; 40 x 10 cm; 50 x 10 cm; 60 x 10 cm; 70 x 10 cm.
Trial plots were set randomly by block system design in four replications.Domestic fenugreek seed that was used in this trial comes from the collection of the abovementioned Institute.
The cultivation of soil, basic and preseeding, was carried out by standard method for cultivated plants.Manual seeding of fenugreek in both study years was carried out at the beginning of April.Seed of 99% cleanliness and 98% germination was used in this trial.Seeding depth was 3 cm.During vegetation period, soil of the crops was loosened manually several times, therefore no chemical preparations were used for the protection of crops from weeds, pests and pathogenic diseases (P a v l o v i ć et al., 1998).
During vegetation period of fenugreek (April-August) in the first study year, the precipitation of 107 mm and average temperature of 21.2 0 C were registered.In the second study year, for the same period of time, the precipitation of 320 mm was registered and average temperature of 20.7 0 C was approximately at the level of previous year.
The harvest of fenugreek in both years was carried out in August, 18. Natural seeding material was processed to standard quality.From each plot 10x100 seeds were counted.After weighing of absolute bio-mass on precise scale, seed was germinated in Petri dishes on filter paper and constant temperature of 20 0 C. The following traits were determined: seed germination energy and total germination.
The obtained data were processed by the method of mathematical-statistical processing (H a d ž i v u k o v i ć , 1991).Measures of central tendency and dispersion of investigated traits were defined by parameters of descriptive statistics ( X , C v ).Statistical significance of differences between investigated factors was calculated by the model of variance analysis (S n e d e c o r , C o c h r a n , 1967), mathematical form: The evaluation of significance was carried out based on F-test and LSD-test for the threshhold of risk of 1%.Based on analysed parameters, correlation between investigated traits of fenugreek seed was determined, where correlation significance was tested for the risk level of 5%.

Meteorological conditions during the trial
Basic meteorological data were obtained from meteorological station in Pančevo located in the vicinity of trial fields.
Precipitation.Total precipitation for the vegetation period of fenugreek during the frist study year was considerably below average for Pančevo area (Table 1).During the year 2000, there were dry periods during entire vegetation period, starting with May until fenugreek harvest.In the second study year, during summer months of June and July, precipitation sum was 232 mm, which was considerably above the average for this region and above the optimal needs of plants.
Temperature conditions during both study years were at the level the average as regards the quantity and distribution favorable for the development of plants in the field (Tab.2).

Results and Discussion
Average annual values of traits included in this investigation (yield and mass of seed, germination energy and total germination), as well as variation are presented in Table 3.
Considerably higher yield of fenugreek seed was produced in the second study year, probably as a result of higher precipitation sum (320 mm) compared to the previous year (107 mm) 2000.Average values of yield are statistically considerably different depending on the seeding distance, P<0.01 (Tab.3).

Seeding density, cm
Seeding density, cm Graph. 1. -Yield of fenugreek seed, kg/ha The highest yield of fenugreek seed in both study years was achieved with seeding distance between rows of 50 x 10 cm (Graph.1).Decrease or increase of distance between rows induced the decrease of fenugreek seed yield.The obtained results indicate significant differences of average fenugreek seed yield, depending on the year, seeding distance and their interaction (P<0.01).
T a b.Weight of 1000 seeds expressed significant differences in average values, depending on seeding density as well as years.In both study years the highest absolute weight was registered in seed raised in rows 50 x 10 cm.Also, seed produced in the year 2001, in all seeding distances, had the highest absolute weight (Graph.2).
Mean value for germination energy of fenugreek seed was higher in the year 2000.This indicates that low precipitation during vegetation period of fenugreek was favorable for obtaining seed of better quality (better germination energy).Seed obtained from rows with distance of 50 x 10 cm had better germination energy (Graph 3).With the increase or decrease of seeding density, germination energy of the seed decreased.Registered results indicate statistically very significant differences of germination energy values, depending on the year and seeding density (P<0.01),whereas their interaction showed no significance (P>0.05),table 3.
Average total germination of fenugreek seed also provided for the best effect of germination in the year 2000 in all seeding distances, whereas seed from crops raised at the distance of 50 x 10 cm had the best value of total germination (Graph.4).The obtained results indicate significant differences between average values of total germination of fenugreek seed, depending on year, seeding distance and their interaction (P<0.01),(Tab.3).Also, it was confirmed that all factors included in the investigation were mutually very determined, therefore calculated correlation coefficients indicate strong and significant correlations (r total germ.; weight = 0,67*, r germ.energy;weight= 0,66* and r total germ.; germ.energy = 0,92*).

C o n c l u s i o n
Based on the obtained results of the investigation of mutual effect of seeding density and basic meteorological elements on yield and quality of fenugreek seed, the following can be concluded: -Higher precipitation amount determines higher yield and weight of 1000 seeds of fenugreek.
-The highest yield and weight of 100 seeds were obtained from crops at a 50-cm seeding distance between rows.
-The best quality traits (germination energy and total germination), also were obtained from crops at a 50-cm seeding distance between rows.
T a b .2.-Mean air temperatures for the period April-August, per month and decade, t 0 C