RESPONSE OF BLACK NIGHTSHADE (SOLANUM-NIGRUM L) TO NITROGEN APPLICATION

A pot experiment was conducted on Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) to study the effect of urea nitrogen and select the optimum dose required for its vegetative and reproductive growth, leaf NPK content, yield of fruit and fruit solasodine. Urea was applied at 0.0, 0.45, 0.90, 1.35, 1.80 and 2.25 g N per pot which contained 3.5 kg soil. Seeds were sown directly in pots and plant samples were drawn at fortnightly intervals for recording growth and yield parameters. In addition, solasodine content in fruit and N, P and K in leaves were also estimated. The results showed that all the parameters were influenced by N. In general, N at 1.80 g per pot was optimal.