Effect of sowing date and cultivar on leaf yield and seed production of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.)

The single plant production of leaves and seeds of three genotypes (GR, AUS and IRN) of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) was studied in relation to three sowing dates (i.e. transplanting on 11-11-2004, 9-3-2005 and 7-4-2005, 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) sowing dates, respectively). The highest leaf yield of 94.58 and 11.33 g plant(-1) for fresh and dry weight, respectively, was obtained in the AUS genotype from the 1(st) sowing. In crops from the 2(nd) and 3(rd) sowings, leaf yield of GR and IRN genotypes was not recorded due to rapid bolting and stem elongation. In all three sowings, GR flowered first and AUS flowered last. The highest seed yields were obtained in the AUS variety from the 1(st) sowing (i.e. 106.83 g plant(-1)), whereas in the 2(nd) and 3(rd) Sowing, GR had the highest yield and largest 1000 seed weight (42.03, 35.59 g and 20.35, 19.65 g plant(-1) respectively).